QPR youngster Kolli in contention for return

Rayan Kolli is in contention for a return to the QPR squad for Saturday’s game against Championship leaders Sunderland.

The 19-year-old forward started against West Brom on the opening day of the season and has not been involved since coming on as a late substitute against Plymouth on 24 August.

In recent weeks he has been left out of the first-team squad altogether.

But an injury to Karamoko Dembele has opened the door to a potential return to the fold for Kolli.

Kolli was absent from a recently-published photograph of the squad and club staff.

He did appear in a picture issued of the development squad – which was taken a week later.

QPR expected him to also be in the first-team squad photo but he was not present when it was taken. Marti Cifuentes insisted he did not know why.

Cifuentes recently told West London Sport: “He was supposed to be there and he was not.”

Asked why not, the head coach replied: “I don’t know.”

QPR are assessing the extent of a knee injury suffered by Dembele on the eve of last weekend’s goalless draw at Burnley.

He missed the game at Turf Moor along with defender Morgan Fox, who picked up a thigh problem.

Both players have also been ruled out of the Sunderland game.

While Rangers expect Fox to return soon, there is less certainty over Dembele and how long he might be unavilable for.

On a brighter note for the R’s, defender Liam Morrison returned to full training on Friday morning following his own knee injury.

Dembele was signed from French club Brest in the summer on a season-long loan ahead of an agreed permanent move at the end of the campaign.