QPR dealt mammoth double blow ahead of Cardiff City and Watford in 'nightmare' for Marti Cifuentes
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QPR must find results in the Championship but aren’t helped by the absence of key first team stars.
QPR will be without key stars Jake Clarke-Salter and Ilias Chair for upcoming fixtures against Cardiff City and Watford after the Championship club published a thorough injury update on Wednesday evening, in what is nothing short of a nightmare for Marti Cifuentes.
The Catalan's side has been struggling in recent months but a long list of injury lay-offs has not helped matters. Ahead of the international break the coach spoke of his hope to have players fighting fit again, but that has not quite happened.
After defeat to Leeds United, he said: “I have not been saying much about it in the last weeks but now we have the international break, the main priority for us is to recover players. It is very difficult, especially when they are such important players. Is it an excuse? Not at all. We need to do better and compete better.”
Cifuentes has been boosted by news that defenders Harrison Ashby and Kenneth Paal are fit again, with experienced midfielder Jack Colback not far behind. However, those positives come with confirmation that QPR will have to wait longer to see Clarke-Salter and Chair back in action again.
The two players, who were key parts of the Cifuentes side that fought off relegation last term, will not feature against Stoke City this weekend. They will also then miss trips to Cardiff City and Watford before returning in the first half of December, should recovery go to plan.
Clarke-Salter has been nursing a calf niggle this season which has seen him in and out of the side. Meanwhile, Chair picked up a knee injury against Middlesbrough earlier this month - he had missed a chunk of the start of the campaign with a back injury picked up in pre-season.
The report from the club also confirmed that Kader Dembele would be sidelined until February after undergoing knee surgery. The update read: "Jake Clarke-Salter is expected to return for the first team in the first half of December.
"Ilias Chair, who came off during our home fixture against Middlesbrough with a knee injury, is also expected to be available for selection in the first half of December.
"Kader Dembele, however, faces a period of time on the sidelines following knee surgery. Subject to a successful rehabilitation, the club is hopeful he will be in a position to return to the pitch in February 2025."