QPR vs. Chelsea: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream and TV Info
Chelsea travel to Queens Park Rangers this weekend for a London derby that has considerable implications at both ends of the table.
For Jose Mourinho's side, victory will see them edge closer to the Premier League title; for Chris Ramsey's Rangers, any sort of result will be a big boost to their hopes of avoiding relegation.
This game is often of heightened importance, so given everything at stake, we can expect a cracking occasion and one full of incident.
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It's been more than three years since John Terry was embroiled in a fracas with Anton Ferdinand at Loftus Road that ultimately resulted in him losing the England captaincy for a second time.
While the Chelsea skipper has returned to Loftus Road twice since—once in an FA Cup match, the other in the Premier League—the incidents of October 2011 remain fresh for Rangers supporters who will want to create an atmosphere to drive their team on.
And now Anton's brother, Rio, is a QPR player.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mourinho explained he expected a fiery reception for his players.
"People tell me it will be hostile [at Loftus Road],” Mourinho said on Friday. "But we go to play, we go to win.
"The people in the stands can play a role, but they can’t score goals."
Aside from Terry's return, a more significant talking point for Chelsea surrounds Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.
Both players are on nine bookings for the season, so a caution for either of them will mean they serve a two-game suspension, missing the upcoming fixtures with Manchester United and Arsenal.
Mourinho has already stated both will start the game, so as well as the scoreline, all eyes will be focused on whether or not the pair can remain in the referee's good graces.
The good news is that after Sunday, the Premier League's suspension list is wiped clean for the remainder of 2014/15, meaning all yellow cards picked up to date are effectively made zero.
There are going to be plenty of subplots that develop throughout the 90 minutes at Loftus Road, so brace yourselves, it's going to get exciting.
Date: Sunday, April 12
Time: 1.30 p.m. BST/8.30 a.m. ET
Venue: Loftus Road, London
TV Info: Sky Sports (UK only)/NBCSN (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Team news
Other than Diego Costa, Chelsea have a fully fit squad heading into this west London derby. They are free of suspensions, too, so Mourinho has a considerable squad to be selecting from.
With Costa on the sidelines, we can expect Loic Remy to start in attack for Chelsea, while Didier Drogba acts as support from the bench.
As for the home side, QPR's injury list is an extensive one.
Rangers have no fewer than nine players on the treatment table, including Adel Taarabt, Eduardo Vargas, Leroy Fer and Richard Dunne.
There are no suspensions for Chris Ramsey's team.
Last 5 games
| March 7 | QPR 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur |
| March 14 | Crystal Palace 3-1 QPR |
| March 22 | QPR 1-2 Everton |
| April 4 | West Bromwich Albion 1-4 QPR |
| April 7 | Aston Villa 3-3 QPR |
| March 4 | West Ham United 0-1 Chelsea |
| March 11 | Chelsea 2-2 Paris Saint Germain (AET) |
| March 15 | Chelsea 1-1 Southampton |
| March 22 | Hull City 2-3 Chelsea |
| April 4 | Chelsea 2-1 Stoke City |
Players to watch
Charlie Austin
He's QPR's leading goalscorer with 17 goals this season, including one against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Indeed, such has been Austin's form that, without him, Rangers may well have been cut adrift from the rest at the bottom already.
He is a vital player, the catalyst for everything positive Rangers achieve, like last weekend's 4-1 thrashing of West Bromwich Albion.
That was a big result for Rangers and they thought they had won another three points in the Midlands in midweek but were eventually pegged back to draw 3-3 with Aston Villa.
Austin scored QPR's third that night, again outlining how vital his goals have been.
He will be their biggest threat against Chelsea on Sunday.
Loic Remy
Returning to his old stomping ground, the stage is set for Loic Remy.
The Frenchman has won Chelsea their last two matches, scoring the decisive goals against Hull City and Stoke City. Facing his old employers, he'll want to do the same at Loftus Road.
There's a lot riding on Remy's form at the moment. Without Diego Costa fit, Remy is their only reliable striker given how Didier Drogba's powers have waned.
He is a player of significant quality, and if he can win Chelsea three points on Sunday, it will be a significant marker in their season.
Key matchup: Joey Barton vs. Nemanja Matic
Joey Barton is a wise old head, a player who knows every trick in the book. With Nemanja Matic one booking away from a two-game ban, we can be sure that the QPR midfielder will be out to test his opposite number on Sunday.
Barton will look to get at Matic, to cause him problems and play on the edge, testing whether or not that booking is in the back of his mind.
If it is, Barton will come on top here as Matic will be playing without full commitment. And that will be dangerous.
For all the headlines he receives, Barton is actually a talented footballer, and if he gets himself into this game, it will turn into a real scrap. And that will certainly benefit the home side.
Prediction
QPR 2-3 Chelsea
Odds
Home win: 8/1
Away win: 2/5
Draw: 4/1
First goalscorer: Loic Remy (4/1)
*Odds via Oddschecker
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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