QPR’s season continues to go from bad to worse, after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Birmingham City.
But in defence of the R’s, they’ve had a lot of injuries to contend with this season. And a lot of those injuries have been to key players in the second half of the season, which has left the likes of Neil Critchley and Gareth Ainsworth with very limited options come match day.
But when might QPR’s injury woes ease? Here we look at the club’s current injury list and each player’s expected return date…
Leon Balogun
Experienced defender Leon Balogun has been missing from action for three months now, with a persistent calf injury keeping the 34-year-old on the sidelines.
Expected return date: Ainsworth said earlier this month that Balogun was closing in on a return to action, so after the international break seems like a good bet.
Ilias Chair
Ilias Chair has missed the last four games after coming off early on in Ainsworth’s opener v Blackburn Rovers at the end of last month.
Expected return date: Ainsworth was hoping to have Chair back for the weekend defeat v Birmingham City but he didn’t make it, so after the international break seems like a likely return date.
Jake Clarke-Salter
Summer signing Jake Clarke-Salter has featured just 14 times in the Championship this season owing to a string of injuries. He’s now missed the last month-and-a-half with a calf injury.
Expected return date: Critchley said last month that Clarke-Salter wouldn’t be making his return in the short-term, and an exact return date remains unknown.
Ethan Laird
Ethan Laird’s injury has been a bit of a mysterious one. Not a lot has been said about the Manchester United loan man, who’s not featured in the Championship since coming off early in the game v Sunderland last month.
Expected return date: Ainsworth seemed to suggest earlier this month that Laird’s injury wasn’t a very serious one, but a return date remains unknown.
Kenneth Paal
Kenneth Paal’s injury situation seems a lot like Laird’s – Paal has missed the last four and very little has been said about his injury.
Expected return date: Ainsworth was hoping that both Chair and Paal would feature v Birmingham City, but Paal didn’t make the game either – a return next month seems likely.
Tyler Roberts
Leeds United loan man Tyler Roberts has endured another frustrating season with injury. He’s so far featured just 18 times in the Championship for QPR, scoring three.
Expected return date: It was revealed earlier this month that Roberts had returned to parent club Leeds United in a bid to step up his recovery. An estimated return date was not given, so we may well have seen the last of Roberts in a QPR shirt.
Chris Willock
Chris Willock was a key performer for QPR earlier in the season. He then hit a sticky patch of form and has since missed the last seven with a hamstring injury.
Expected return date: Again, not a lot has been said about Willock. But Ainsworth seemed to suggest that Willock is among those closing in on a return to action soon, so we could see the ex-Arsenal man after the break.
