Swansea v QPR (Tue)

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    Barclays Premier League

    • Venue: Liberty Stadium
    • Date: Tuesday, 27 December
    • Kick-off: 1700 GMT
    • Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio Wales and online; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles. Watch live on Sky Sports 1

    Neil Warnock (left) and Brendan Rodgers Rival managers Neil Warnock and Brendan Rodgers are attempting to avoid an immediate return to the Championship

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    Tuesday, 27 December 2011

    Premier League

    Home Team Score Away Team Time
    Swansea v QPR 17:00

    TEAM NEWS

    Swansea will assess the fitness of left-back Neil Taylor after he came off in the first half against Everton with a knee injury.

    Winger Nathan Dyer should return after missing that defeat with a foot injury.

    QPR will again be without defender Anton Ferdinand on Tuesday due to a hamstring injury.

    Shaun Wright-Phillips suffered a knee injury in the defeat by Sunderland but it is not thought to be serious.

    MATCH PREVIEW

    It is almost 12 months to the day since Swansea and QPR last met as Championship clubs.

    We have been very strong at the Liberty, so we are pretty confident of getting some points on the board after Christmas

    Swansea defender Angel Rangel

    Promotion was the aim a year ago – now Premier League survival is all that matters.

    In that respect it has been so far, so good for managers Brendan Rodgers and Neil Warnock, as both teams go into the Christmas period above the relegation zone.

    But recent form suggests there could be tougher times ahead for the two clubs, with wins hard to come by over the last couple of months.

    As such, this fixture will be ringed on the calendars at both training grounds as a winnable game, although with Swansea stronger at home, and QPR faring better on the road than at Loftus Road, a draw would be no surprise.

    MATCH FACTS

    Head-to-head

    • This will be the first time the two sides have met in the top flight.
    • QPR won the most recent meeting 4-0 in the Championship on Boxing Day last year.
    • The Londoners have not won on their last three league visits to Swansea – their last victory there was in January 1981.

    Swansea

    • The Swans have won just one of their last seven league games.
    • All of Swansea’s four Premier League wins have come at the Liberty Stadium.
    • Swansea have scored 16 league goals this season, only Wigan (15) have scored fewer.
    • However, Swansea and Manchester United had the equal-most clean sheets in the division prior to Boxing Day (8).

    QPR

    • QPR have lost their last three league games and have won just one in eight.
    • Three of their four league victories this season have been achieved away from home.
    • A goal for QPR would be their 100th away from home in the Premier League.
    • Matthew Connolly is on the cusp of his 150th career appearance.