please log in to view this image Preview THE Hoops will be hoping to produce their Sunday best when Everton travel to Loftus Road this weekend. After a difficult run of results, Rangers head into the fixture in the bottom three, knowing victories are a must over the coming weeks if Chris Ramsey’s side are to beat the drop. Everton will provide another stern test in W12, but the R’s will be buoyed by seeing the Toffees crash out of Europe on Thursday night at the expense of Dynamo Kiev. England's last remaining team exited European competition as Roberto Martinez’s outfit were soundly beaten in their last-16 Europa League tie. In a week where Manchester City and Arsenal exited the Champions League, poor defending cost Everton in the Ukraine, as they lost 6-4 on aggregate. Romelu Lukaku’s strike cancelled out Andriy Yarmolenko's wonderful opener. But Lukasz Teodorczyk, Miguel Veloso, Oleg Gusev and Antunes scored, before Phil Jagielka's headed consolation. In truth, that heavy defeat – after a 2-1 win in the first leg at Goodison Park a week ago – pretty much sums up Everton’s stop-start campaign to date. Following on from a fifth placed finish last term, the Toffees have struggled this season and head into the weekend in 14th place, lying just six points above the relegation zone. Ramsey can call upon skipper Joey Barton on Sunday following the conclusion of his three-match suspension, with the midfielder set to overcome a slight knock sustained in training earlier this week to feature against his boyhood club. Full-backs Mauricio Isla and Darnell Furlong both face late fitness tests, whilst Bobby Zamora is expected to overcome an ongoing hip injury to feature. Martinez will run the rule over his squad on Saturday following Thursday’s European adventure, with Aaron Lennon likely to be amongst those who return to the fold, with the Spurs loanee cup-tied in midweek. Kevin Mirallas, Steven Pienaar, Bryan Oviedo and Tony Hibbert all remain doubts, but Aiden McGeady could return following a recent knee injury. Midfielder Gareth Barry is suspended for Everton's visit. please log in to view this image Possible Starting Xl's please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Romelu LUKAKU (Striker) please log in to view this image Romelu Lukaku became Everton's club record signing in July 2014, penning a five-year deal. The striker made the permanent switch from Chelsea after enjoying a hugely successful loan spell at Goodison Park the previous season, when he plundered 16 goals in all competitions. His transfer was sealed after he had helped Belgium reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Lukaku had previously had another hugely productive temporary spell at West Bromwich Albion in 2012/13, during which he netted 17 times for the Baggies. To date this term, the big Belgium striker has netted 18 goals in all competitions, including three in his last three outings. WAGS please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Lukaku's & Vargas's other halves - Julia Vandenweghe & Daniela Colet
please log in to view this image QPR winger, Matty Phillips: “Every game is so important now. “We know what is required. We need wins and we need them quickly. “Everyone in the dressing room believes we can do it. “We've had the whole week to prepare for Sunday. We'll go in with a positive mindset - all we want is three points.” please log in to view this image Toffees defender, Phil Jagielka (on recovering from their European exit): “It has been the story of our season where we have had a couple of decent results and you hope it will kick-start things for us and it just hasn’t happened. “We have had to deal with the frustration of that all season and Sunday is no different. We have had a long journey home from the Ukraine and then a tough game this weekend. “It always seems to be the way that we have an away game after a long journey in Europe but it is up to us to deal with that. We will be desperate to put in a better performance and get a result on Sunday. “We have some good characters in the dressing room and we know what we need to do now. We got a good result against Newcastle but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t go and perform at Loftus Road.” please log in to view this image QPR win: 15/8 Draw: 12/5 Everton win: 11/8 please log in to view this image Everton 3, QPR 1 – Premier League – Monday 15th December 2014 Scorers: Everton – Barclay, Mirallas, Naismith; QPR – Zamora please log in to view this image
please log in to view this image Referee: J Moss Assistant Referees: D Cann & E Smart Fourth Official: R Madley please log in to view this image
The odds are better than I thought they'd be. Come on Rangers! We're now left hoping other results go our way too.
Sorry but the site is playing up and it wouldn't let me post this as a single article. What a bloody mare that was!
Thanks Nines. Seems like the biggest game of the season. I must try and find another bar to watch it in here - don't think we have ever won when I have watched here in Phuket.
Cheers Nines. I really hope the team you have chosen is the actual team (I won't hold my breath though!).
Watch out for this Moss guy reffing the game tomorrow. He's a former footballer with Sunderland - who are in the relegation dog fight right now. Last week he gave Hull City 6 yellows v none for Leicester (who are pretty much already down). Then he reported Hull to the FA for asking about a yellow given for a fair tackle. Then he gave a 2nd yellow (Red) to Hull's Tom Huddleston, for an "excuse me" trip. You've been warned - this ref will be biased against QPR on Sunday!
I'd expect Zamora to start in a 4-4-2 at home. My worry is our fullbacks will be targeted as a soft-touch...
Queens Park Rangers 01 Green 14 Isla 15 Onuoha 04 Caulker 13 Yun Suk-young 07 Phillips 30 Sandro 08 Barton 23 Hoilett 25 Zamora 09 Austin Substitutes 05 Ferdinand 06 Hill 12 McCarthy 19 Kranjcar 20 Henry 24 Vargas 27 Taarabt Everton 24 Howard 23 Coleman 06 Jagielka 26 Stones 03 Baines 16 McCarthy 04 Gibson 21 Osman 25 Lennon 10 Lukaku 09 Koné Substitutes 01 Robles 14 Naismith 17 Besic 20 Barkley 27 Browning 29 Garbutt 30 Alcaraz Ref: Jonathan Moss
Hoilett and Phillips need to stick with their FBs and Barton needs to play with discipline when we don't have possession. When we have the ball, that's a decent enough team.
