Roberts to miss QPR opener but Willock and Amos could be involved

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Tyler Roberts will miss QPR’s season opener at Blackburn as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury.

Roberts, who joined from Leeds on a season-long loan earlier this month, picked up the injury in the friendly at Crawley and returned to training this week.


However, Rangers head coach Mick Beale said the 24-year-old is still not up to speed with his fitness and will remain in London when the squad head to the north-west on Friday.

“As of today, everyone bar Tyler Roberts has trained,” Beale said.

“He has a slight issue that I don’t want to risk.

“He did start the week training with us but I didn’t think he looked right.

“It is the right call for us just to slow down and make sure he is ready.

“We thought he would be OK and although he hasn’t had a setback or re-injured it, we just think he needs a little bit more fitness so he has trained away from the group is isolation.”

Chris Willock, who underwent hamstring surgery last March, returned to training this week alongside Luke Amos, who is yet to appear in any of Rangers’ pre-season friendlies – also due to a hamstring issue.

New signing Taylor Richards also trained with his teammates for the first time and Beale said he will decide on Friday if the trio are ready to play at Ewood Park.

“The three of them are very important players for us this season but have not really had a pre-season, so do need to catch up,” he said.

“But what five subs gives you is the opportunity to to have them in and around to use them from the bench.

“I’ll make a decision tomorrow on how they look and see.”