Ten players are expected to miss QPR’s match against Birmingham City with Ilias Chair.
Both teams are coming off of mixed results going into this midweek match. Rangers defeated West Bromwich Albion by three goals to one in W12, making it two straight home wins, while the Blues’ problems away from St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park continued with a loss to Southampton by the same score. Both teams are now on the fringe of the play-offs, but Julien Stephan and Chris Davies have plenty of difference-makers at their disposal to try to earn three points ahead of the impending Christmas and New Year period when games come thick and fast.
But as they pursue victory in West London, both managers will also be without the assistance of certain key figures. There are ten of those in each of the corresponding second-tier teams, and Football League World has examined each player’s unique situation. Ziyad Larkeche, a full-back for QPR, is the first of them absent.
The 23-year-old was a mainstay during Stephan’s first preseason at Loftus Road, but he will miss most of the season due to a brutal ACL injury sustained in mid-August. Sam Field, a seasoned central midfielder, comes next. Before being replaced at halftime in Rangers’ 3-1 loss at Norwich City on November 29, the former West Brom player had made 11 appearances this season, including a few games as a left-back. According to reports, the 27-year-old will miss at least two games, the second of which will be against the Blues.
Since joining the Hoops from Chelsea in February, Harvey Vale has had a mixed experience. After moving to West London, the England youth international was sidelined for a long time before being able to demonstrate his creative ability under Stephan from August until last month. Since then, he has missed the last four games due to a muscle injury, and there has been no update prior to Tuesday’s match. Ilias Chair has had a very disappointing 2025 despite being one of the Hoops’ most important players when healthy.
Due to availability concerns, the Moroccan international only made 28 appearances last season before missing the start of the campaign due to a back problem. Chair has made 11 appearances so far this season, but after hobbling off at halftime in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Baggies—a devastating loss for the team—he will now spend more time in the treatment room. Rayan Kolli, a youthful forward, is QPR’s final absentee. The 20-year-old has only made two appearances for the Frenchman in the last 12 months due to a string of injuries.
Although specifics about this most recent injury absence are still unknown, the attacker will currently be out of commission until at least the beginning of the year. Stephan stated, “I’d like to use him more, but it’s difficult with the injuries.” Ethan Laird, a former QPR defender, is the first of five players that Chris Davies is unable to use. After just over two months in the treatment room following a hamstring injury sustained during the Blues’ 3-0 loss to Coventry City on September 27, Laird will not be eligible for selection until at least February.
The left-back’s tenure in the West Midlands was marred by injuries, and it has been nearly a year since he suffered a catastrophic knee injury during a goalless draw against Blackpool at St. Andrew’s. The former Werder Bremen player is currently getting ready for his much anticipated return to full fitness. But rather than using the defender as Alex Cochrane’s backup, the team intends to loan him out to restore match sharpness and fitness after January, as Football League World exclusively disclosed.
However, because the aforementioned Cochrane is expected to be absent, Davies has faced a significant problem ahead of Tuesday’s match. The 25-year-old, who has already made more than 70 appearances for the team, was replaced for Jack Robinson after 59 minutes in the Blues’ weekend loss at St Mary’s. The fundamental reason for the full-back’s possible absence is yet unknown, though.
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