Blackburn vs QPR

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Blackburn Official Site

SQUAD SHUFFLE FOR SATURDAY
MARK Hughes is likely to put his squad to full use for the visit of Queens Park Rangers is the third round of the FA Cup tomorrow.
As one busy period ends, another one begins with the FA Cup at Ewood Park and the Rovers boss has a strong squad at his disposal and is should take this opportunity to make changes for the game.
"We've had a lot of games in a short space of time, a lot of guys are carrying knocks and bumps and bruises," said Hughes.
"So it may be an opportunity to rest a couple of players, but it will certainly be a strong side and a side that I think will win the tie.
"We've had a good run of results and we want to keep that run going, we are looking to win the game, we have a good squad and one that is capable of progressing in this competition."
Michael Gray is welcomed back to the squad after missing the win against Portsmouth on Monday night, but Saturday may come soon for Andy Todd.
The Rovers captain has returned to training following a knee injury picked up on Boxing Day, but isn't likely to be risked.
Steven Reid serves a one-match ban following picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.
The manager is likely to choose from: Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Matteo, Bentley, Tugay, Savage, Pedersen, Dickov, Kuqi, Enckelman, Emerton, Bellamy, Thompson, Gray, Peter, Johnson, Gresko, Taylor.
You can see more on the build-up to tomorrow's game on today's edition of Rovers World.
http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10303~764468,00.html


SPORTING LIFE
QPR hope to have Matthew Rose and Marc Nygaard available for the FA Cup clash at Premiership side Blackburn.
Defender Rose, 30, and striker Nygaard, 29, sustained side and calf injuries respectively in the 1-1 draw with Burnley on January 2, but Rangers boss Ian Holloway is quietly confident both can recover for the third round tie.
If neither player makes it, Georges Santos and Paul Furlong are expected to come into the starting XI.
Marc Bircham is doubtful after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring problem that kept him out of the Burnley fixture, while forward Kevin Gallen (hamstring), midfielders Steve Lomas (hamstring) and Tommy Doherty (fibula) and defender Dominic Shimmin (calf) are all unavailable. http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc_championship/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/01/06/manual_113819.html&TEAMHD=nationwide1


BBC - Blackburn v QPR
Ewood ParkSaturday, 7 JanuaryThird RoundKick-off: 1500 GMTReferee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)Replay: 1945 GMT, Tuesday, 17 January
Blackburn gear up for the visit of QPR without the services of Matt Jansen.
Rovers have agreed to his wishes to release him from his contract after six years at Ewood Park having made just one start this season.
QPR team news to follow later.
KEY MATCH STATS
BLACKBURN ROVERS and Queen's Park Rangers meet in the FA Cup for the first ever time.
Rovers have lifted the Cup six times in their history, but not since 1928. They enjoyed a fine run last season under Mark Hughes, defeating Cardiff, Colchester, Burnley and Leicester on their way to a meeting in the semi-finals with Arsenal. But in Arsene Wenger's renowned Cup winners they met their nemesis, going down 3-0 at the Millennium Stadium.
The Carling Cup semi-finalists enter this tie in fine form, on a run of four successive League and Cup victories - 100% from the three matches played over the Christmas and New Year. They've only beaten QPR once in four League meetings, since both were in the Premiership together in 1996.
QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS are 25 places inferior to Blackburn on the League ladder, but have taken seven points from the last nine available.
The West London club reached Wembley for the only time in their history in 1982, when as a Second Division (second level) club they held Tottenham to a 1-1 draw courtesy of an equaliser pased Ray Clemence from Terry Fenwick. It was a tedious final, as was the replay decided by a Glenn Hoddle penalty, after Tony Currie had brought down Graham Roberts.
Rangers' only victory in nine League meetings with Blackburn was 0-2 at Ewood Park in the Nationwide Division One on 30 October 1999.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/4565136.stm