QPR v Brentford: six key battles

QPR host Brentford on Friday night in the second west London derby of the season. Here are the six match-ups we think could help tilt the balance at Loftus Road.

Nedum Onuoha v Scott Hogan

Rangers’ injury issues at full-back mean captain Onuoha will again play in the centre, as he has done for the last three games. He and Steven Caulker will be tasked with keeping Bees top scorer Scott Hogan quiet, but that is easier said than done. Hogan has eight in 14 league games this season and 15 in 21 since his return from injury in March.

Idrissa Sylla v Harlee Dean

At the other end of the pitch, Brentford are expected to recall their skipper Dean, who had sat out last weekend’s 2-0 defeat by Barnsley. QPR striker Sylla – with three goals in his last six league games – is hoping to keep his place up front.

Tjaronn Chery v Nico Yennaris

Dutchman Chery has had a hand in eight of QPR’s 21 goals this season, scoring four and contributing four assists. Brentford will want to starve him of the ball and that job will fall to ex-Arsenal man Yennaris, who has made more tackles than any other of his team-mates this term, bar right-back Maxime Colin.

Ben Gladwin v Andreas Bjelland

If Gladwin retains his place, it will be his first start at Loftus Road since the opening weekend of the season. Backed by his boss to find his form, the former Swindon man will come up against Denmark international Bjelland if he plays on Friday night. The Bees have lost only one of the six games Bjelland has played at left-back.

Ariel Borysiuk v Romaine Sawyers

Two summer signings go head-to-head. Sawyers, who has two assists from 14 games this season, was jeered off by a section of the Bees support when substituted against Barnsley last weekend. He will be hoping to get the better of Borysiuk, who has started the last five QPR games and will provide the screen in front of the defence.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink v Dean Smith

The two managers meet for the third time. Smith’s Walsall beat Hasselbaink’s Burton 2-0 last October, neither realising their futures lay elsewhere. A few weeks later, both had settled into their current roles and Hasselbaink earned his revenge in March with QPR’s 3-0 win over Brentford.

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