QPR manager Mark Hughes believes the Barclays Premier League has suffered due to Jack Wilshere's long injury lay-off.
Hughes takes QPR to Arsenal on Saturday still searching for a first league win and Wilshere, who has not played for the Gunners in 15 months, is likely to be involved.
The 20-year-old England international was earning plaudits for his displays in the heart of the Arsenal midfield before suffering an ankle injury that has troubled him ever since. Hughes said: "He is an outstanding young player, the league has been a lesser league really because when you take a young player of his ability out for so long then everyone misses watching his talent."
He added: "Obviously from my own selfish point of view as an opposition manager I hope he would have been one week away from returning. He played in midweek with a view to being involved in our game so we will see whether or not he makes an appearance.
"I think everybody is pleased, he is a young man who seemed to have the world at his feet and he has had a real setback with the injury and the amount of time he has been out. We wish him well but not too many good wishes if he plays at the weekend."
Arsenal go into the fixture on the back of two straight defeats but Arsene Wenger's side will still be the firm favourites against a QPR side who are yet to record an away league victory during Hughes' tenure.
The Welshman acknowledged that Arsenal have not had the best of weeks but is not expecting any favours on Saturday.
"They're a very good team, and they've had a couple of results that have knocked them back somewhat," he said. "But it's their home game, and you'd expect them to come out and for their fans' benefit, put in a good performance because they've stepped away from their high standards in the last couple of games.
"We go there with the belief we can compete against any team in the Premier League. We've drawn with Chelsea, drawn with Everton and run Tottenham very close. We acquitted ourselves well for long periods against Manchester City.
"So we know we can go to the top sides and make a game of a difficult fixture, and we'll try and cause an upset, because I'm sure there aren't that many people expecting us to get a positive result. We'll go there with real belief."
Source: PA
