Leicester City vs QPR - Match Preview and Team News
Posted On 05/04/2010 at at 12:40 by Alistair Kleebauer
Leicester are smarting from a run of four defeats, their worst run for more than three years, which puts their play-off potential in severe jeopardy, with Blackpool just a point behind them. Their local paper, the Leicester Mercury, is worried enough to have started a vague Dare to Dream campaign to get people behind the promotion push - though it doesn't seem to have much point beyond telling supporters to go to games.
The Hoops, of course, need the points for their own reasons, with games against relegation candidates Crystal Palace and Watford to come and the visits of Cardiff and Newcastle to still contend with. A fifth away win today would ease a few worried minds as the season nears its conclusion.
Leicester City Team News
The biggest bit of team news for Leicester City is one they have been dealing with for some time. Top scorer Matty Fryatt's broken jaw against Doncaster Rovers at the end of February was less than welcome; the player has been out ever since, recently returning to light training but needing to make up about 9lbs in weight which he lost due to inactivity after this jaw was wired and plated.
No other Leicester player has yet hit double figures and though they adjusted gamely af first, including a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in their next game, a lack of inspiration up front hasn't helped over those last five games in which they've failed to win, including four defeats.
Midfielder Lloyd Dyer could also miss out after picking up a knock during Friday's 3-0 defeat against West Brom but defender Wayne Brown and importantly in the context of Fryatt's absence, strikers Paul Gallagher and Yann Kermorgant, should all be available.
QPR Team News
Rangers continue to assess Jay Simpson on a match-by-match basis as he struggles with a hamstring injury. Starting the game against Sheffield Wednesday, he wasn't quite up to full speed and came off on 73 minutes to be replaced by youngster Antonio German. Neil Warnock may chose to rest Simpson with an eye to the crucial game against Crystal Palace.
It is also likely to be Carl Ikeme's last game for the Hoops as he is contracted to return to his parent club Wolves tomorrow. Unless Warnock chooses to gel Radek Cerny back into the side straight away, Ikeme will turn out for the Hoops one last time. Defender Dusko Tosic could also get his first start for the Hoops, although one of the loanees would have to make way with Matt Hill surely the most likely candidate.
Form
As mentioned already, Leicester's form is escaping them at just the wrong time. Four consecutive defeats have left them clinging onto the play-offs, though they will point to next weekend's game against Peterborough as a saving grace, with rivals Blackpool instead travelling to St James' Park. Following that game Leicester could do QPR a favour as they face Watford at home, followed by fixtures against Preston and Middlesbrough. In short, they need to start winning and quickly and will look to their three remaining home games as the best opportunities to book their place in the play-offs.
They've had the beating of QPR once already this season; another game in which the Hoops took the lead only to throw away through a combination of calamitous keeping and poor defending. Rangers' record at the Walkers Stadium will improve their pre-match confidence though; they've picked up seven points from their last three visits there and have only lost once, in January 2005.
Prediction
In front of a home crowd desperate to revive their side's season, QPR will probably look to today's game as a bonus fixture from their remaining matches; one that they will not automatically expect to get anything from, but will be mightily pleased if they do. The big winner today could be Ian Holloway, former manager of both clubs. Anything less than a win for Leicester and his Blackpool side could place themselves in the driving seat for the play-offs by beating Doncaster at home, thereby ending that team's hopes of sneaking into the top six as well.
Fear could largely dictate the opening to this game with so much at stake for both teams and with Leicester guaranteed to not have their top scorer and QPR's uncertain to start, goals will be at a premium. Rangers are trying to ensure their safety in incremental steps with four draws in a row. It's not the most thrilling way to stay up but I think it could become five draws today, which would set a Championship record this season.
SCORE DRAW
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