Westwood among QPR players battling to be fit for Huddersfield game

QPR boss Mark Warburton admits some of his walking wounded are battling to return for Friday’s game at Huddersfield.

Goalkeeper Kieren Westwood, midfielder Jeff Hendrick and defensive trio Lee Wallace, Rob Dickie and Yoann Barbet all missed the defeat at Preston last Saturday.

Dickie joined Chris Willock and David Marshall in being sidelined for the rest of the season.

But Warburton is hopeful the vastly experienced Westwood will be able to return for the televised clash at the John Smith’s Stadium, despite an encouraging performance from 20-year-old Murphy Mahoney in his first-ever professional appearance, at Deepdale.

“He (Westwood) was still poorly the day before yesterday (Tuesday), trained a little bit yesterday and we’ll see how he reacts today and if not it’s Murph,” Warburton said.

“We will wait and see and know more this morning but it’s a case of finger crossed on that one but one or two definitely won’t make it and, bearing in mind we won’t get home until 2am on Saturday and play Derby on Monday, it’s a case of using the squad.”

Rangers have lost seven of their past eight games, free-falling out of the promotion race, and although Warburton is refusing to give up on the season, he said the mood around the training ground has been one of disappointment this week.

“I can’t sit here and say there is no anger and frustration because we have let ourselves down over the last few weeks from being in a really strong position,” Warburton said.

“But they are professional athletes and they are a really good characters. I spoke to two of the guys separately yesterday who individually said ‘We have our responsibilities’.

“Every time you pull a shirt on in front of a paying supporter you have a responsibility.

“The mood is we that have to deliver five good performances up until the last minute of the season. That will never change.

“Confidence is fine, it’s more a case of frustration. At Preston we had two or three great chances of getting a one or two-goal lead, and goals change games.

“You score that first goal the other team have to come out and it creates more space for the ball players to hurt them.

“The difference has been that earlier in the season we were taking our chances and over the last six to eight weeks we haven’t.”

See also: Warburton set for QPR exit – is it the right call?