QPR v Leeds United: five key battles

QPR open their Championship campaign on Sunday at home to Garry Monk’s Leeds United. Here are five potential battles we think might be important at Loftus Road.

Nedum Onuoha v Kemar Roofe
Should he play at right-back, Rangers captain Onuoha will come up against one of the Football League’s hottest properties. Roofe was courted by many Championship clubs after hitting 26 goals from midfield last season for Oxford United. He won’t be overawed by his new surroundings, but Onuoha has bags of experience.

Olamide Shodipo v Lewie Coyle
After impressing in pre-season, there’s a chance 19-year-old academy graduate Shodipo could be handed his Rangers debut down the left-hand side. Gaetano Berardi, Leeds’ regular right-back, is fit again after injury but has played no part in their friendly programme so 20-year-old Coyle – who broke through in the second half of last season – may be Shodipo’s opposite number.

Steven Caulker v Chris Wood
After loan spells with Southampton and Liverpool, Caulker has returned to the fold and could make his first QPR appearance since May 2015. The 24-year-old last played second-tier football in 2011 for Bristol City (he scored an injury-time equaliser at Loftus Road that season) and will be tasked with shackling Wood, who netted 13 times last season. 

Jordan Cousins v Toumani Diagouraga
QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink wants a much more robust midfield this season, and the arrival of Cousins from Charlton is seen as a big part of that. On Sunday, he could face the rangy and deceptively strong Diagouraga, one of three ex-Brentford players who may play a part in the game.

Sebastian Polter v Rob Green
The fixture computer has a cruel sense of humour. After being frozen out at QPR as his contract ran down, Green is finally likely to make it on to the pitch at Loftus Road for the first time since New Year’s Day – but for the opposition. Despite not playing competitively in seven months, Green has been selected ahead of Marco Silvestri in recent friendlies. Polter is set to start up front for Rangers. The German recently told West London Sport he believes he can improve his goalscoring tally this season.