QPR to be boosted by Chair’s early return

In-form QPR will welcome back Ilias Chair this week following Morocco’s exit from the Africa Cup on Nations.

The Atlas Lions went down 2-1 in extra time to North African rivals Egypt in Sunday’s quarter-final in Yaounde, with Chair, who has missed Rangers’ past seven matches in all competitions, an unused substitute in what has been a frustrating tournament for the 24-year-old.

Chair departed London on December 28 nursing a calf injury and was left on the bench for the first two group matches before being named in the starting line-up to face Gabon only for Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic to unceremoniously haul him off after just 30 minutes.

He was then left out of the round-of-16 win over Malawi and once more for Sunday’s quarter-final despite the match going to extra time.

He will report back to QPR on Tuesday and be in contention for a place in the side to face Peterborough in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at London Road.

Halilhodzic, who has a reputation for his no-nonsense approach, controversially left Morocco’s star player Hakim Ziyech out of the squad for the tournament after falling out with the Chelsea winger and now faces a battle to keep his job following his much-fancied side’s failure to reach the last four.

QPR have performed well in Chair’s absence, winning five of their past six league matches.

They crushed Reading 4-0 on Saturday, with Luke Amos impressing in an attacking midfield role similar to Chair’s usual position in the team.

Chair’s return will be nevertheless be a huge boost for Rangers, who sit in fourth spot in the Championship, two points off second-placed Blackburn but with a game in hand.

However, QPR’s first-choice goalkeeper Seny Dieng will remain in Cameroon after Senegal advanced to the semi-finals with a comfortable 3-1 win over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

Dieng, who played the first two matches and didn’t concede a goal, gave way to first-choice stopper Edouard Mendy after the Chelsea star recovered from Covid-19 but has remained on the bench for the past three fixtures.

Dieng will return just ahead of the Middlesbrough game on Wednesday, February 9 after either the final or the third-fourth play-off place next Sunday, February 6.