QPR V Man Utd at Loftus Road Stadium - Match Preview




Remy struggling for United clash

QPR's Loic Remy is a doubt for the Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United.

The France forward has been struggling with a groin complaint and, having suffered a setback, will be assessed to see whether he is available at Loftus Road.

Junior Hoilett (hamstring) and Samba Diakite (international duty) are available again, while manager Harry Redknapp is hoping to get more than 45 minutes from Bobby Zamora as the forward manages a long-standing hip injury.

Rock-bottom Rangers are seven points adrift of safety in the Barclays Premier League heading into the match with Sir Alex Ferguson's league leaders.

With 12 matches remaining, victory would be huge for QPR but an already unenviable task has been made more difficult by a lack of attacking options.

Deadline-day moves for Peter Crouch and Peter Odemwingie fell short, meaning Zamora and Remy are the men charged with shooting QPR to survival.

However, both are struggling with injury and Redknapp today revealed the latter almost certainly faces surgery on a long-standing hip complaint.

Zamora has made four substitute appearances since returning from a two-and-a-half-month spell on the sidelines and has not played more than 45 minutes in a match since the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on October 27.

"Maybe Bobby will need an operation at the end of the season," Redknapp said. "I am not sure, he probably will do.

"The aim is to keep him going for the last 12 games of the season if we can because he is that important to us.

"We'll see how we go tomorrow with him. The longer we can get out of Bobby, the better.

"We're hoping we can get more than just half a game from him. It is up to the fitness people and the physios to try and push him on to longer if we can."

Wayne Rooney is set to miss Manchester United's trip to London.

Rooney sat out Monday's FA Cup win over Reading with a sinus problem and although he has now returned to training, United manager Ferguson does not expect the striker to have fully recovered for the Loftus Road encounter.

Phil Jones (ankle) and Paul Scholes (knee) are also sidelined although Ferguson will still make changes, with Robin van Persie amongst those likely to be recalled.

Ferguson's only task this weekend is to engineer a victory in west London that would put United 15 points clear at the top of the standings 24 hours before closest challengers Manchester City take on Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.

"We are going down there hoping to win. That is what our job is," said Ferguson.

"QPR are fighting for survival and we know it is going to be a hard.

"But that type of thing is what we need anyway. We need to keep the awareness on making sure we do our job right.

"These games have to be treated exactly as we would Real Madrid or anyone else.

"That is the only way we can approach them.

"But there is a brilliant spirit in the place and a good determination.

"With the right attitude and the right players we have a chance."


Source: PA

Source: PA