Campbell urges Hughes to play him in Rangers’ final two games of the season

DJ Campbell is urging Mark Hughes to give him the chance to fire QPR to Premier League safety.

Campbell signed a two-year deal at Loftus Road in August, but a succession of injuries have restricted the forward to just 11 league appearances, 10 of which have been as a substitute.

The January signings of Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse have pushed Campbell down the pecking order of forwards at the club, and the 30-year-old admitted he has endured a frustrating season so far.

However, with Rangers facing a must-win match at home to Stoke City on Sunday, followed by a potentially season-defining trip to Manchester City, Campbell is convinced he still has a key part to play.

“When I was injured I spoke to Mark Hughes and he said he wanted me back fit. Now I’m back, I’ve been on the bench a couple of times and I haven’t played the part I expected to or wanted to,” Campbell told London24.com.

“But I’m there if he needs me and I’m sure he knows that. I feel I have a part to play in the last two games, now I just have to see if I get it. It’s down to the gaffer.

“It has been a very frustrating season with the injuries I’ve had, they’ve been more or less long-term injuries so it’s been tough. Last season I didn’t have one injury. It’s frustrating but I’ve got to get on with it.

“It means a lot for me to pull on the shirt, and I would have liked it to have been a better season both for me personally and for the club. I had several options in the summer, but I chose QPR because I still feel it is my club.”

Campbell, who was born in Acton and attended Hoops home games as a youngster, insisted that Rangers can build on their recent home success to take another three points on Sunday.

Having been hammered 6-1 by Chelsea last weekend, QPR entertain Stoke City knowing that anything less than a win could fatally damage their survival hopes, and Campbell is confident they can make it five home wins in a row against the Potters.

“Regardless of the Manchester City game, Stoke on Sunday is a must win,” he said. “It has to be a win because three points may be enough to keep us up.

“We’ve done it against big clubs this year and I believe we can – and should – do it.

“At the start of the season we were poor at home, but in the second half we’ve been really good. Hopefully the lads are confident and we have to forget the Chelsea game.”

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