QPR vs Preston North End team news with 3 doubts and 2 outs as Paul Heckingbottom afforded rare luxury
.png?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Preston North End visit Loftus Road this weekend as QPR have the chance to leapfrog their Championship rivals.
QPR could go into Christmas Day unbeaten in their last seven Championship outings with a positive result against Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.
It's been nothing but a remarkable turnaround in form by Marti Cifuentes after a sticky start to the second tier campaign. The R's are now up to 18th in the table with consistency arriving just at the right moment for the busy period of festive fixtures.
Next up for QPR is the visit of the Lilywhites. who sit just two places and one point above the London side in the Championship. Here's your team news.
QPR team news
Alfie Lloyd came on at half time to replace Rayan Kolli against Bristol City with Marti Cifuentes pointing to the latter feeling a little under the weather during the game. After the match, the Catalan coach said: “Rayan has not been 100 per cent since Wednesday and we felt it was best to give him 45 minutes and then bring on Alfie.
“Today was another step in the right direction for Alfie in terms of getting 45 minutes and building his match sharpness. He did well when he came on, creating some situations and running in behind.
“At this stage of the season, with the injuries that we have and players coming back from those injuries, it’s very important that we manage players’ minutes. Michi Frey was on the bench today, for example, and we need to be very careful when we reintroduce those players."
The return of Frey is a boost and comes with summer signing Zan Celar sidelined with an injury picked up against Norwich City. Jake Clarke-Salter is 'recovering well' from his latest injury but hasn't been in a matchday squad since the end of October.
Kader Dembele is out with a longer term knee problem, with February 2025 earmarked as a potential return date. The experienced Jack Colback continues to work his way back from knee injury and is expected to return ‘soon’.
Doubts - Rayan Kolli, Jake Clarke-Salter, Jack Colback. Outs - Kader Dembele, Zan Celar.
Preston North End team news
Paul Heckingbottom is in an unusual position at this time of year with his whole Preston North End squad expected to be fit and available for the trip to Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon.
Defender Andrew Hughes is expected to return from his short lay-off in West London. Heckingbottom told the Lancashire Evening Post: “Yeah, he had a fitness test in the morning. He came out and trained (on Friday), but we stopped him half way through because he was still feeling a bit sore.
“So, we thought to give him as close to another 24 hours as we could - to see if he could make the bench. Because, again, if that was right it would've been another substitution for us to make.
“When Robbie flagged, pushing Kaine up and having Hughesy on the left. So yeah, we would've liked that option. But, the pleasing thing is - you know I am big on using the squad and subs - we have got the majority back and available now, which is good."
Sam Greenwood will also return to the squad. The forward missed out against Leeds United last time out as he is on loan from the Yorkshire outfit and ineligible to face his parent club.