The 5 players QPR could be without for Championship fixture with Pompey at Fratton Park
It’s not just Pompey who are dealing with some injury problems right now.
QPR could be without five players this weekend as they travel down to the South Coast to face Pompey.
The Hoops are Pompey’s next opponents, and they could provide a stern test for the hosts this weekend. QPR did Pompey a favour last week as they ran out 4-0 winners against the Blues' relegation rivals Derby County on Friday. With a day extra rest, that could help them when the two sides meet at Fratton Park on Saturday.
QPR have gone from a team that was battling relegation to a side that has an outside chance of reaching the play-offs. Marti Cifuentes's side are currently in 13th and just four points off West Brom in sixth.
In the reverse fixture back in October, Pompey ran out 2-1 winners. Kader Dembele had opened the scoring but Freddie Potts equalised and then top scorer Callum Lang scored with a penalty with QPR unable to find a leveller.
Pompey at the time went ahead of QPR who were at rock bottom following the defeat. Until last Saturday, that was Pompey’s last success on the road on the back of eight straight defeats on their travels. Four months on, QPR are now looking up rather than down with eight points separating them and Saturday’s hosts.
John Mousinho’s side have had their fair share of injury problems this season, as have QPR and ahead of this weekend’s meeting, they could be without up to five players.
QPR team news
Kader Dembele was on the score sheet against Pompey back in October but he will play no part this time around. The 21-year-old has been sidelined since November with a knee injury. Before being sidelined, Dembele had registered three assists and one goal in 10 games.
Midfielder Lucas Andersen is another absentee. He suffered an injury at the end of January but was due to resume full training in early February. Jake Clarke-Salter is out for a lengthy period following a hip injury that he sustained in training.
Rayan Kolli is to also miss out. The young striker is expected to miss the remainder of this month’s action because of an injury. A hamstring injury has kept Zan Celar out since December and was said to be making steady progress when the club provided an update towards the end of January. It was hoped that the 25-year-old would be available by now.
Pompey v QPR referee confirmed
Thomas Bramall has been appointed as the referee for the match and he will be assisted by Nick Greenhalgh and Akil Howson with Declan Bourne as the fourth official. This is just the second time this season that Bramall will have overseen a Pompey match.
The referee who hails from Sheffield was in charge of Pompey’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on January 5. He decided to send off Marlon Pack for a second bookable offence at the Stadium of Light. This is the first time this season Bramall will have officiated a QPR game.
His record this term is 15 games with 48 yellow cards, three red cards and three penalties awarded. His last match was the Premier League fixture between Fulham and Nottingham Forest in which he gave out no cards.