Queens Park Rangers vs Bristol Rovers. Carabao Cup Second Round.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance5,007.
Tuesday 28 August 2018 11:46, UK
QPR boss Steve McClaren plans to utilise his squad for the Carabao Cup tie with Bristol Rovers at Loftus Road on Tuesday night.
McClaren was a relieved man after Tomer Hemed gave Rangers a first Sky Bet Championship win of the season against Wigan on Satuday.
But the former England boss is aware that Hemed and fellow loan striker Nakhi Wells must be eased in after minimal time on the training pitch, and Conor Washington and Pawal Wszolek could be among those to return for the second-round tie.
The injured Darnell Furlong is set to miss out again and Paul Smyth faces a fitness test after not being available for the last few weeks.
Rovers are set to be without captain Tom Lockyer and Liam Sercombe. Centre-half Lockyer pulled out of Saturday's league game against Southend just before kick-off with an ankle injury, while midfielder Sercombe suffered a hamstring strain in the early stages of that 1-0 defeat.
Sam Matthews is fit after missing the last two games with a knock, but fellow midfielder Chris Lines serves the second game of a three-match suspension. Daniel Leadbitter will be assessed with boss Darrell Clarke managing his workload following a serious hamstring injury.
QPR have won their last four meetings with Bristol Rovers, though this is their first game against them since November 1980.
In the League Cup, Bristol Rovers last faced QPR in the fourth round in 1971-72, winning a replay 1-0 after a 1-1 draw.
QPR are looking to win consecutive League Cup matches for the first time since August 2009.
Bristol Rovers reached the third round of the League Cup last season - they haven't done so in consecutive seasons since 1972-73 (three in a row).
QPR manager Steve McClaren has a 100% win record in League Cup second round matches, winning six games with four different clubs - Middlesbrough (2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04), Nottingham Forest (2011-12), Derby County (2014-15) and Newcastle United (2015-16).
