QPR boss Julien Stephan confirms injury setback ahead of Birmingham City and Leicester City

QPR head coach Julien Stephan provided an update on the fitness of Kwame Poku after the winger missed out of the matchday squad against Middlesbrough on Sunday afternoon.

The Frenchman had expected the 24-year-old to return for the first time since early January. Stephan had confirmed that the winger would not be able to play 90 minutes, but hoped to give him up to 20 minutes of involvement.

However, when the squads were unveiled on Sunday, Poku was nowhere to be seen. When asked after the match, Stephan said: “He trained three sessions this week and yesterday, after the last one, he didn’t feel as if he was really ready to be involved in the 20 players.

“We need to continue to build him physically, build his confidence to be ready for the next one, or the week after. I don’t know exactly, but he didn’t feel that he was ready yesterday.”

Kwame Poku misses out against Middlesbrough

The R’s beat plenty of Championship competition to sign the winger from Peterborough United last summer but it’s been a stop-start first campaign in the second tier for the player. Poku had registered 12 goals and eight assists in League One last term.

However, the forward is yet to score or assist since making the move to Loftus Road and has played just eight times in the Championship. Poku started the opening fixture of the campaign against Preston North End but suffered a hamstring injury, which kept him out for nearly three months.

The player then returned but picked up a fresh hamstring problem in January and has now not played since the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. QPR have not scored in any of their last three outings, conceding 11 goals, and are in need of fresh attacking impetus. The R’s travel to Birmingham City on Wednesday night before a quick return to action at Leicester City on Saturday.

Speaking about managing the winger’s return last weekend, Stephan told West London Sport: “I hope he will come back quickly. There is a difference between coming back and being competitive. There is a big difference.

“When you come back like this you need to be clever about how you restart. It was a long injury. In fact, he had two long injuries this season, so he didn’t play a lot. Of course it is good news. But we don’t consider that only one player can change everything. It’s an option. One more player. But I repeat, there’s a difference between coming back and being competitive.”

In other news, How QPR, Millwall and Charlton Athletic attendance figures rank against Championship rivals so far this season.