On Sky
QUEENS Park Rangers welcome undefeated Aston Villa to Loftus Road – a fixture that has proven fruitful for the hosts in more recent times.
Rejuvenated and ready to go, Rangers have displayed excellent prowess in recent fixtures notably highlighted by the recent high profile signings that have bolstered their league position.
The calibre of talent such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton and Anton Ferdinand has served to spur this weekend’s hosts onto positive results – something they’ll look to maintain against Villa.
While undefeated, the camp is far from contented after having initially employed Alex McLeish – the boss of their bitter rivals Birmingham City – while being sent crashing from the Carling Cup by Bolton.
The fixture itself will be televised as Rangers look to put on a display to a similar calibre as against Newcastle United a fortnight ago – but accompanying the killer instinct in the final third.
Last Fixture
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Queens Park Rangers 3 (Barton 7, Faurlín 9, Campbell 87)
Team: Paddy Kenny, Shaun Derry, Danny Gabbidon (Fitz Hall 84), Adel Taarabt, Jay Bothroyd (DJ Campbell 74), Alejandro Faurlín, Armand Traore, Joey Barton, Luke Young, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Anton Ferdinand.
Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor 13)
Newcastle United 1 (Best 37)
Team: Shay Given, Alan Hutton, Stephen Warnock, Richard Dunne, James Collins, Charles N’Zogbia, Fabian Delph, Stilyan Petrov (Stephen Ireland 68), Barry Bannan (Marcus Albrighton 68), Darren Bent (Nathan Delfouneso 86), Gabriel Agbonlahor.
QPR Team News:
Neil Warnock is not expected to deviate from the line-up that showed so well against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.
Paddy Kenny will start behind the same back four, despite Danny Gabbidon limping out of the victory at Molineux – with talisman Joey Barton to skipper the side once more.
Keiron Dyer and Jamie Mackie are the only long-term absentees with the latter poised to return to reserve action in the near future.
Possible line up:
Young – Gabbidon – Ferdinand – Traoré
Faurlín – Derry
Taarabt – Barton – Wright Phillips
Bothroyd
Player to watch: Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun Wright-Phillips has proven himself to be a revelation in the Rangers midfield in recent weeks and will once again look to exploit any gaps in the Villa rearguard in order to hand QPR their first home maximum of the campaign.
His free-flowing and enterprising style has impressed many QPR supporters and it would seem Fabio Capello, who is toying with re-introducing the lively wide-man back into the international fold.
Aston Villa Team News:
Striking duo Emile Heskey and Darren Bent will miss out on this weekend’s encounter, and Jermaine Jenas’ chances are rated as 50/50 to be involved at Loftus Road – a club for which he has been previously linked.
This means that recalled centre forward Andreas Weimann could be given the nod in the capital while Charles N’Zogbia can expect a recall after being rested in the League Cup defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers
Possible line-up:
Hutton – Collins – Dunne – Warnock
Bannan – Petrov – Delph – N’Zogbia
Agbonlahor – Weimann
Player to watch: Gabriel Agbonlahor
Vital QPR has singled out Aston Villa front-man Gabriel Agbonlahor as the One to Watch this weekend as the R’s face the Villains this weekend.
To read our profile of the player Click Here >>>
The Stat Attack
LAST FIVE
Queens Park Rangers: L W L D W
Aston Villa: D W D D D
HEAD 2 HEAD
Queens Park Rangers: 22
Aston Villa: 17
Draw: 9
LAST TIME OUT
Carling Cup – 24/09/2008
Villa Park
Aston Villa 0
QPR 1 (Stewart 58)
Team: Radek Cerny, Matthew Connolly, Damien Delaney, Damion Stewart, Fitz Hall, Emmanuel Ledesma (Angelo Balanta 91), Akos Buzsaky (Mikele Leigertwood 82), Martin Rowlands, Gavin Mahon, Daniel Parejo, Patrick Agyemang (Samuel Di Carmine 66).
Ref Watch:
Referee: Mr Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Assistants: Mr John Flynn (Wiltshire) and Mr Ron Ganfield (Somerset)
Fourth Official:Mr Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Michael Oliver is once again the man in the middle as Queens Park Rangers host Aston Villa this weekend.
Earlier this campaign Oliver oversaw Rangers’ defeat at Wigan Athletic, and also a loss at Preston North End – but in the fixture he has presided over at Loftus Road, Rangers were victorious
To read our report on the official Click Here >>>
Match Prediction:
2-1 QPR
Rangers will be looking to extend their recent positive run under Neil Warnock, and a home fixture coupled with hopefully the first goals and first maximum at Loftus Road would be the perfect tonic.
Villa come to W12 with a good recent record, while being solid if unspectacular in achieving their undefeated status thus far in the Premier League – Rangers should have enough in their locker to test the Villa resolve.
Next Up:
Who: FULHAM
Where: CRAVEN COTTAGE
When: 02/10/2011 – 1500