Liverpool v QPR

By Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool will be without Jay Spearing, who begins a three-game ban following his sending off at Fulham.

With Lucas Leiva out for the season and Steven Gerrard still missing, Jordan Henderson could switch to a central midfield role.

QPR are still without Paddy Kenny and Brian Murphy, so third-choice keeper Radek Cerny will start in goal.

Matt Connolly could be in line for a recall after playing 45 minutes for the reserves on Tuesday.

MATCH PREVIEW

I wrote a few weeks ago that Manchester United’s ability not to drop points against the so-called lesser clubs, despite some instantly forgettable performances, has been the key to their seasons of success in the Premier League.

Liverpool are the exact opposite. Their habitual dropping of points against the relative minnows of the Premier League has consistently undermined their usually excellent results against the big guns.

So a home game against a newly-promoted side should set the Anfield alarm bells ringing. For the record, Liverpool have won only one of their last seven matches against newly-promoted sides – it’s four wins from the last nine against Premier League new boys at Anfield.

This season Sunderland, Norwich and Swansea have already drawn at Anfield. Last season, Liverpool failed to win at home against Blackpool, Wolves and Wigan. In the 2008/09 season when Liverpool finished second, four points behind Manchester United, they drew at home to Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull.

All clubs have ‘if only’s’ at the end of the season – Liverpool may have more than most.

Rangers have been really interesting this season. They lost 4-0 to Bolton and 6-0 to Fulham yet beat Chelsea and were unlucky to lose to Manchester City. Whilst some pundits predicted that last season’s top man Adel Taarabt would not quite cut the mustard a division up, even Mrs. Helguson might be a little surprised that husband Heidar has scored six goals in his last seven games against top-flight defences.

This one could be fascinating.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• This will be their first meeting since February 1996, which ended in a 2-1 win for Liverpool at Loftus Road.
• QPR have won just one of their 20 league visits to Anfield – a 3-1 victory in March 1991.
• The Londoners have just one victory from eight Premier League encounters with Liverpool – a 2-1 win October 1994.

Liverpool

• Liverpool and Manchester City are the only teams unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season.
• The Reds have drawn their last four league games at Anfield.
• Liverpool’s tally of 17 goals from their first 14 games is their third lowest in Premier League history (15 in 2006-7, 16 in 2010-11).
• They have hit the woodwork 12 times in the league this season – more than any other team. Stewart Downing has done so three times, more than any other player.
• Charlie Adam will be playing on his 26th birthday.
• A goal for Dirk Kuyt would be his 50th in the Premier League.

QPR

• QPR have won more games away from home (3) than at Loftus Road (1) in the Premier League this season.
• They have already won on Merseyside this season – a 1-0 victory against Everton.
• Neil Warnock’s side have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine league games – the 1-0 victory against Chelsea.
• Heidar Helguson could make his 250th start in English league football.