QPR V Liverpool at Loftus Road Stadium : Match Preview

21 March 2012 16:20
Defender Glen Johnson and forward Craig Bellamy are both likely to miss Liverpool's trip to QPR on Wednesday night.

The former has not played since the Carling Cup final victory over Cardiff last month while Bellamy has sat out the last two matches.

Centre-back Daniel Agger is still recovering from a broken rib. Manager Kenny Dalglish believes more attention should be paid to the welfare of players with the end of the season producing a packed fixture schedule. The Reds have played six matches in 21 days in March and could have another 12 to play over the next seven weeks.

There could be further disruption to their schedule with both themselves and May 6 opponents Chelsea in with a chance of reaching the FA Cup final. By the end of the season Dalglish's side could have played 16 games in 10 weeks.

Health issues have been thrust into the spotlight by the collapse of Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba last weekend, and although Dalglish was not linking the two issues he believes sometimes players are being asked to do too much in too short a space of time. "It is a difficult job to work out the schedule of matches because there are that many games to be played," said the Scot.

"There are cup ties, teams in Europe, Premier League games and one of the most deciding factors is television. "Television has been fantastic financially for clubs - no one would be in the position they are in without television - but I think the most important consideration should be players and how quickly they can turn themselves round.

"Sometimes it is unfair on them for them to be expected to turn around as quickly as the fixtures come up. "I think someone should be looking at that, whether it is the Premier League or the Football Association or television.

"For me, the people who should be looking at it closest of all is the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association). It is their players who produce the fantastic fare which is the Premier League and they cannot do it when games come with such a short interval in between them.

"They (the players) always say playing is better than training but rest is part of training as well. "If they are not getting the proper rest, either because someone is demanding they play quite quickly back-to-back or they are not preparing themselves properly off the pitch, then it is going to make it more difficult for them."

Adel Taarabt is back in contention for QPR. Playmaker Taarabt missed Rangers' controversial defeat at Bolton 10 days ago with a hamstring strain but has had plenty of time to recover. Injury-plagued striker DJ Campbell is back in training and could return early next month, as could top-scorer Heidar Helguson (groin).

QPR V Liverpool - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.

Source: PA