Rangers return to Loftus Road action in Championship

Queens Park Rangers boss Ian Holloway is hoping to spoil Brighton’s title charge at Loftus Road tonight (Friday).

Rangers return to home turf after suffering 1-0 losses at Derby and Aston Villa over the past week, defeats which ended a four-match unbeaten run and saw them slip to 16th in the table.

The Seagulls are looking for a win to leapfrog Newcastle at the top of the table, but Holloway told qpr.co.uk: “We want to try and win this game and give our fans another home victory, another win at Loftus Road where we’ve won our last four.

“I want that winning feeling again, which we were enjoying prior to the last two games at Derby and Villa.”

Matej Vydra’s 70th-minute goal was enough for Derby to down Rangers last Friday and Jonathan Kodjia struck after only five minutes at Villa Park to consign them to another reverse.

Holloway added: “This is a chance to show the real us, because we didn’t do that the last time we were on TV against Derby.

“Can we beat a team like Brighton and lay down a marker?

“They have been beaten recently. They have had the odd bad result. We’ve got to make them fragile if we can.

“They are on the right lines and heading in the right direction and with Chris (Hughton) in charge, they look like they’re goinig to get over the line.

“But these points at the hardest to get when you’re going all out for promotion. We’re going to try and spoil all that. It’s a great opportunity for us and one we’re really looking forward to.”

Joel Lynch is expected to miss out again for Rangers due to an injury picked up in training.

*QPR midfielder Luke Freeman has been shortlisted for the player of the month award for March.

Freeman, who joined from Bristol in January, produced a number of impressive performances recently, with a fine goal against Rotherham in a 5-1 home win.

He is up against Preston’s Tom Barkhuizen, Bristol City’s Aden Flint and Leeds’ striker Chris Wood.