QPR v Cardiff City team news with 6 doubts and 7 outs as hosts risk being without striker

QPR striker Michael Frey is nursing an injury.placeholder image
QPR striker Michael Frey is nursing an injury. | Getty Images
Both QPR and Cardiff City are managing fresh injury blows following the international break.

QPR risk being dragged into a relegation dogfight after defeat to Stoke City last weekend made it five defeats in their last six Championship outings.

The R’s have now not won a game of football since Valentine’s Day and sit in 15th, just seven points above the drop zone. It’s been a dismal fall-off following a rampant run of form over the festive period and New Year, which has earmarked QPR as play-off contenders at one point.

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The situation would become even more precarious with defeat to Cardiff City at Loftus Road on Saturday. The Welsh outfit are 21st in the table and would close the gap from themselves to QPR to just two points with victory. Here’s your QPR v Cardiff City team news.

QPR team news

QPR captain Steve Cook missed out against Stoke City having picked up a knock in the draw with Leeds United before the international break. The centre-back is expected to return against Cardiff City but only time will tell if that remains the case.

A club statement last week read: “Steve Cook, who came off against Leeds before the international break, will need a period of offload to help manage an ongoing foot injury which was first sustained at the end of December. He is currently on course to rejoin team training next week in the build-up to our home fixture with Cardiff City.”

Marti Cifuentes was without an out-and-out striker in his matchday squad against the Potters. Michael Frey picked up an ‘issue’ on Friday so was not able to feature in that game. The severity of that problem remains to be known.

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Meanwhile, Jonathan Varane and Alfie Lloyd have both been seen back in first team training after hamstring and ankle problems respectively. Those two players are set to return in the near future.

Midfielder Sam Field has started work on the pitch following an ankle injury picked up against Portsmouth and was set to resume first team training this week. That was also the case with young forward Rayan Kolli.

Summer signing Zan Celar remains a longer term absentee with the ever-influential Ilias Chair set to spend another three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury picked up against Middlesbrough. Jake Clarke-Salter continues his rehab but is unlikely to return this season following hip surgery.

Meanwhile, January transfer signing Harvey Vale continues his rehab on a back injury having arrived from Chelsea but isn’t expected to feature this season. Koki Saito was sent off against Leeds United and will now serve his suspension for a straight red card.

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Doubts - Steve Cook, Michael Frey, Jonathan Varane, Alfie Lloyd, Sam Field, Rayan Kolli. Outs - Zan Celar, Ilias Chair, Jake Clarke-Salter, Harvey Vale.

Cardiff City team news

Cardiff City were handed a fresh injury blow over the international break with captain Joe Ralls missing out of the matchday squad to face Sheffield Wednesday. Cardiff boss Omer Riza said: "He hurt his calf so he'll be out for three or four weeks. He probably won't feature again this season.

“But he'll feature in other ways. He'll be around the group. He's a leader and we need that especially. If he comes back quicker than that then great, but if he doesn't, then you can't force it."

The Bluebirds are also without goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, who is not expected to feature again this season due to a hamstring injury. Veteran Aaron Ramsey is also unlikely to play again this term after surgery on a hamstring problem.

Doubts - None. Outs - Joe Ralls, Jak Alnwick, Aaron Rasmey.

In other news, this Tottenham Hotspur prodigy made history with a 'lovely' QPR goal at the weekend.

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