Next: QPR at Watford

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UPDATED 11:45 am

One-off-the-top, Watford face one-off-the-bottom QPR at Watford. Watford's home record is 5 wins 3 draws 4 defeats 16-16 Goals for and against. (QPR's away record is 2 wins 5 draws 5 defeats 14-21 goals for and against Table See also: Watford results this season and Watford Players Profiles

UPDATE: WATFORD OFFICIAL SITE - FOCUS ON: QPR
DRAMA never seems to be far away from Queens Park Rangers as their own rollercoaster of a season has just peaked somewhere near the top of the Big Dipper following another cash-rich investor putting money into the west Londoners.
Back in September when the Hornets visited W12, news had surfaced that Renault boss Flavio Briatore and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone were taking over the R's.
Now the club recently announced a 20 per cent investment from Lakshmi Mittal, A CEO of the world's largest steel company and the fifth richest man in the world.
Things could well have been very different for QPR had they not struck gold - talk of administration was rife before the takeover but their new riches will be the perfect opportunity to clear debts and build the club up again.
However on the pitch, although there has been an improvement of late, Rangers still lie in the dreaded drop zone and have only just avoided the drop in the last two seasons.
The Superhoops are second bottom and will be licking their wounds after Plymouth came back from one down to beat the west Londoners in time added on.
Newspaper reports suggest big spending from the R's in January, but boss Luigi De Canio has warned against rumours of unlimited spending and he will have to spend wisely to add to what he already has.
De Canio took over the reins after John Gregory left the club following a disappointing start to the campaign - caretaker boss Mick Harford steadied the ship but did not join continue with the club following news of DeCanio's appointment.
The changes on the playing front have already started and a staggering amount of players have been through the doors of QPR in the last 18 months.
Ex-Hornet Danny Cullip, who tamed Marlon King and Darius Henderson in the 1-1 draw at Loftus Road, has been released along with Australian Nick Ward and John Curtis.
Loanees Scott Sinclair and Ben Sahar have returned to Chelsea but the club has been relying on their current crop of loan stars including Rowan Vine and Hungarian play maker Akos Buzsaky.
TEAM NEWS
The R's have been missing Chelsea loanee Michael Mancienne in recent weeks while midfielder Mikele Leigertwood sits out tomorrow's clash through suspension after being sent off at Home Park.
Damion Stewart looks set to return to the defence after missing the last game following a one-match ban. Simon Walton has been back involved recently after recovering from a broken leg which delayed him making his debut for the R's.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This Saturday's visitors lead the way in the head-to-head stakes. However in recent years the Golden Boys have come out on top and have only lost once in seven meetings.
LAST TIME THE TEAMS MET
It was only back in September and loan star Adam Johnson opened the scoring in west London, but the R's struck back through Stefan Moore's only goal of the season.
ONE TO WATCH:
Buzsaky has made a flying start to life in the capital and looks set to make the move permanent in January. The midfielder has already bagged five goals for Rangers, including two in the recent win over Colchester at Loftus Road. Watford

Watford Official Site - AIDY ON DERBY DATE
WATFORD Manager Aidy Boothroyd is hoping that his Golden Boys can take some goal-scoring momentum into this Saturday's local derby encounter with Queens Park Rangers, after Jobi McAnuff's last-gasp strike against Cardiff turned the emotion of near defeat into that of a winning feeling at Watford on Boxing Day.
The winger's stunning goal only salvaged a point against the Bluebirds, but it was the manner in which his side twice clawed their way back into the game that Boothroyd hopes will prove to be catalyst moment in the festive period.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's crunch Christmas game the Yorkshire-born Hornets' boss said: "A local derby gives us no better opportunity because we have to be winning at home for sure.
"The way that we finished the game against Cardiff just shows how much it meant to us to get that final-minute equalising goal.
"It was important that we didn't lose against Cardiff, and we didn't. To come back twice shows that we've got a lot of things going for us.
"In the first half against Cardiff it was abundantly clear there was a lot of work to be done, it was a very, very poor performance, but we've got to make sure that we keep getting better and better.
Aidy Boothroyd
"Queens Park Rangers will be a really tough test for us, with their new manager coming into this local derby wanting a win.
The last time the two sides met at the Vic was early on in the Hornets' last promotion campaign, and it proved a positive night for Boothroyd and Watford as goals from Ashley Young, Matthew Spring and Anthony McNamee secured a 3-1 win.
"I remember the last time we played Rangers at home and it was a terrific night, we managed to get a win, and we've got to make sure that we approach the game with our normal spirit but keep adding the improved bits in, the quality that we've been working on.
"It's within the side, we're scoring from open play, we're scoring from set plays and we've got players popping up with goals from all over the pitch, which is very, very important to share the load.
"We've kept clean sheets at times; we've got seven now, and we've seen some great away wins and some good home wins. What we've got to do is put them together now and that's going to take a bit of time."
Boothroyd believes his team, although in a state of change, will improve in time, and pointed to one or two factors that might be influencing the current malaise at home.
"Unfortunately, like everybody else we have to deal with injuries," said the Hornets' supremo.
"Damien Francis is coming back from his bad knee injury and is only just coming back to form. Jobi McAnuff, who's been terrific in the last two games, scoring two goals, is also coming back to form now after his little niggles.
"We have a new captain now in Jay DeMerit and Richard Lee is just making the position his own in goal, so there's a lot of subtle changes that are going on and when things settle down - and I am sure they will - we'll start putting all those clean sheets and all those goals from all those players together to make sure we get on a winning run again."
Rangers come to town on the back of their own last second Boxing Day drama, theirs being defeat at the hands of Plymouth Argyle at Home Park, meaning they arrive at the Vic as the proverbial 'wounded animal'.
"QPR will want to put right their last minute defeat at Plymouth and they'll fancy their chances coming to us," added Boothroyd.
Aidy Bootrhoyd
"They'll come to Vicarage Road thinking that they can make the crowd nervous and get in to us. But, we've already proved that we can win games, either by going out in front, or by coming from behind.
"We know we're a test for anybody, what we've got to do is start putting some festive smiles on people's faces for Saturday the 29th!"
The Hornets don't have any fresh injury worries ahead of the clash with the R's and the gaffer has plenty of attacking options with Darius Henderson making a claim for a starting spot following his appearance from the bench on Saturday.
The Loftus Road club will also be looking forward to a reported January spending spree, following the arrival of new investors in west London.
"The newspaper reports suggest that QPR are chomping at the bit to spend some of their new found wealth, but I'm not sure whether that makes it a better time to play them or not.
"Maybe it's the cynic in me, but we've heard this all before and whether it's true or not doesn't really concern me, whatever the club involved. We'll have to see what they do, and if they do, then good luck to them."
Finally, Boothroyd turned his thoughts towards his own club's purse strings, and the possibilities of new faces in the upcoming transfer window.
"I've spent the last few days just mulling over some DVDs that I've watched, just going over them again, just looking at the players that we're going to go for. I do think it is important to strengthen.
"I think it's a long race the Championship season. We're just over half-way and we've got our noses in front with West Brom, but it's important with the tightness of the league that we add some more depth and we certainly look to strengthen and freshen things up." Watford

QPR's PERSPECTIVE - QPR OFFICIAL SITE THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: HORNETS
After the long journey to Home Park on Boxing Day, Rangers' final away fixture of 2007 is just down the road at local rivals Watford on Saturday.
Still seething after the late, late defeat against Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday, the R's will be doubly determined to return to winning ways against a Hornets side currently suffering a blip in front of their own supporters.
Despite currently occupying second place in the Coca Cola Championship, Adrian Boothroyd's men have failed to register a win in front of their home supporters since October 20th.
That run stretches six matches and includes home defeats to Plymouth Argyle and Bristol City, amongst others.
Yet, while Rangers were left licking their wounds on Wednesday evening, Boothroyd's men played their festive get out of jail card against Cardiff City.
Jobi McAnuff's last-gasp strike rescued a point for the Hornets in a frantic finale, which saw Cardiff lead on two separate occasions.
Yet despite the late point, Boothroyd is still struggling to put his finger on why his charges are continually underachieving at Vicarage Road.
"I don't know what the problem is playing at home," he said, "but sometimes you can want something too much and it becomes harder and harder.
"We didn't play with a lot of brain. You need to play with muscle or guile and we didn't really have either."
Mikele Leigertwood will miss the trip to Vicarage Road, as he starts a three match suspension, but Damion Stewart is expected to return from a one game ban.
With the exception of Michael Mancienne, who has now resumed light training on his way back from a hamstring problem, R's First Team Coach Luigi De Canio has a fully-fit squad at his disposal. QPR