Early Team News

QPR manager Harry Redknapp handed welcome injury boost with Nedum Onuoha, Aaron Hughes, Niko Kranjcar and Jermaine Jenas in contention for Saturday's Championship clash with Nottingham Forest ...

HARRY Redknapp is hopeful of welcoming as many as four QPR players back into contention for Saturday’s early kick-off with Nottingham Forest.

Defensive duo Nedum Onuoha (calf) and Aaron Hughes (hamstring) are available after recovering from injury while midfield pair Niko Kranjcar (hamstring) and Jermaine Jenas (calf) could also return.

Redknapp is without Clint Hill (ankle), Joey Barton (thigh) and Armand Traore (ankle), however, as the trio remain sidelined after missing Tuesday night’s trip to Blackburn Rovers.

Meanwhile, Rangers have been handed a further boost following news that Kevin Doyle will return to training on Monday after a knee ligament injury interrupted the striker's loan spell from Wolves.

“One or two are on the way back,” the R’s boss revealed to www.qpr.co.uk in Friday’s pre-match press conference.

“Clint’s not fit, he’s still struggling. Hopefully Nedum [Onuoha] will be fit and Aaron Hughes could be available so at least we’ve got some cover at the back.

“Niko [Kranjcar] should be alright and Jermaine [Jenas] is possibly available.

“Joey’s struggling still, though, and Armand Traore’s not fit.

“We’ll be stronger than we were in midweek but we’ve still got a few missing who would be in your team.”

Redknapp is seeking a return to winning ways in W12 this weekend after a ‘disappointing night’ at Blackburn Rovers in midweek resulted in a second successive defeat on the road.

“It was a disappointing night really,” he admitted. “You need your strongest teams to play and I thought we were well short of that the other night. It was a difficult game as I expected.

“But we’re ready to go again. Hopefully we can pick up a win tomorrow and push on from there.”

One small consolation from the point-less trip to Ewood Park was the second-half introduction of Charlie Austin.

The R’s talismanic striker made his second appearance in the space of four days after making his long-awaited comeback at Bournemouth.

“He didn’t have an awful lot of the ball but 20 minutes would have done him good again,” Redknapp said. “He’s come through it fine so it’s just a case of getting him fit for the run-in.”

Another striker Redknapp is looking forward to seeing this weekend is former fans’ favourite Jamie Mackie, who returns to Loftus Road for the first time since departing last summer.

The R’s boss is expecting a typically dogged display from the former Ranger, who left west London in search of regular first-team opportunities at The City Ground.

“Jamie wanted to go, it was a move he wanted,” Redknapp said. “He’s a good lad so we didn’t stand in his way.

“You know what you get with Jamie, he gives you everything and I’m sure tomorrow he’ll be up for giving 100 per cent as usual.”

Play-off hopefuls Forest – 2-0 winners when the sides met in December – come to the capital looking to revive their own promotion push after falling four points adrift of sixth spot.

“They were pushing for automatic and now they’re struggling to make the play-offs,” Redknapp said.

“When they beat us they looked a really strong side and you’d thought they’d be right there battling for the top two like us.

“But they’ve hit a bit of a brick wall as well. It’s been a funny old season for them.”

 

Charlie will start. Even HR can't get that wrong.

 

“Jamie wanted to go, it was a move he wanted,” Redknapp said. “He’s a good lad so we didn’t stand in his way.

That's not how it came across when Jamie spoke on the phone-in!

 

Clint Hill:
"Maybe it's time for us to put on a show for the fans, rather than the other way around."
Bring it on!

 

Cheers Roller. Match Day thread under way, I've been busy today. It should arrive within an hour. Sorry for the delay.