Derby v Q.P.R. Match preview

Last updated : 17 January 2009 By Simon Davies

The former West Brom man jarred his knee in the FA Cup third-round victory over Forest Green and sat out the Carling Cup win against Manchester United.

He would have missed the game with Cardiff last week but the weather put pay to the fixture and he is close to a return.

Paul Connolly serves a one-match ban against after collecting five yellow cards and left-back Jordan Stewart completes his three-match ban after his sending-off against Ipswich last month.

Striker Nathan Ellington will again miss out with a hamstring injury after he pulled out of a reserve game with Mansfield for personal reasons in midweek while defender Claude Davis is training after his hamstring problem but will not feature.

Liam Miller goes straight into the QPR squad for the trip.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder has arrived from Sunderland for an undisclosed fee and is in line for an immediate debut as Rangers go in search of their first away win in the league since September.

Fellow January signing Wayne Routledge was ineligible for the midweek FA Cup defeat by Burnley and returns to the squad.

Midfielder Lee Cook is available after missing the last two games through illness and striker Dexter Blackstock is also fit after sitting out at Turf Moor with a minor knee injury.

Defender Fitz Hall will again play in a face mask after an operation on a broken nose but forward Patrick Agyemang will be out for a few weeks having undergone surgery on a torn thigh muscle.

Sporting Life