Q.P.R. v Cardiff City. Match preview

Last updated : 04 March 2017 By Michael Morris

Tickets are on sale at a cash only turnstile for visiting supporters.

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QPR will be without Luke Freeman and Kazenga LuaLua when they host Cardiff.

Midfielder Freeman was sent off during last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Preston and serves a one-match ban, while winger LuaLua has suffered an ankle injury.

Defender Grant Hall (shin) and forward Conor Washington (calf) were absent at Deepdale and will be assessed.

Midfielder Jordan Cousins is set to miss out again with a thigh injury.

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock will choose from the same squad which fought out a 2-2 home draw with Fulham.

But Greg Halford and Anthony Pilkington are under consideration to start after building up their fitness this week.

Bruno Manga is back in training after suffering knee ligament damage at the African Nations Cup in January, but this game has come too soon for the Gabon central defender.

Lee Peltier and Rhys Healey remain absent with long-term injuries, with the latter awaiting an operation on a serious knee ligament problem.

 

Match officials:

Referee: Darren England. Officiating for the first time at this level

Assistant: Daniel Leach (Oxfordshire)
Assistant: Tim Wood (Gloucestershire)
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)

 

Match facts:

  • QPR are unbeaten in their last five league meetings with Cardiff (W2 D3); their longest run against the Bluebirds since March 2002 (also five games).
  • Following a loss in the reverse fixture last August (0-2), another defeat for Cardiff in this fixture would see QPR do the league double over them for the first time since 2006-07.
  • QPR striker Matt Smith has scored twice in his first five Championship games for the Hoops - the same total as he managed in 16 appearances for Fulham earlier this season.
  • Neil Warnock has masterminded two consecutive away league wins as Cardiff manager - he last won three on the bounce in the Championship when manager of opponents QPR in October 2010, a season in which he won promotion to the Premier League with the Hoops.
  • This will be Warnock's first league match against QPR since he left them in 2012 - he is, however, unbeaten in his last five league games against them (W1 D4).