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Mark Warburton’s Queens Park Rangers head into Wednesday evening’s Championship clash in decent form, having picked up four points from their opening two fixtures of the season.

However, their opponents, Middlesbrough, are also unbeaten in the league so far this term, with Neil Warnock’s side having secured an impressive draw away at Fulham on the opening day of the 2021/22 campaign, as well as dispatching Bristol City 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium last weekend.

As such, the Rs will undoubtedly have to be at their best if they are to get anything from Wednesday’s fixture, with Warburton having to make a couple of tough calls as to who he will choose to start the game.

So, here’s how we think QPR could line up against Middlesbrough, along with the latest team and injury news…

With Warburton recently revealing that he is optimistic Charlie Austin, who missed the victory over Hull City due to a slight knee injury, will be fit enough to return to the side, as well as confirming that Sam McCallum will not be included in his matchday squad due to illness, we predict that the 58-year-old will make just one change to the side who comfortably saw off the Tigers last weekend.

Indeed, this change is Austin coming in for Christopher Willock, who is unfortunate to drop to the bench after impressing in both the Millwall draw and in the win over Hull, with the forward getting himself on the scoresheet at the weekend.

However, it is undeniable that the £1.8m-rated Austin, who scored eight goals over 21 Championship appearances for QPR last season, poses far greater attacking threat than Willock, meaning if the 32-year-old is indeed deemed fit enough to start, he will surely take the 23-year-old’s place in the XI.

Furthermore, Wallace retains his spot at left wing-back as a result of McCallum’s continued absence, while the likes of Jimmy Dunne, Andre Dozzell and George Thomas have to make to with spots on the bench.

Other than McCallum, Warburton has a clean bill of health at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, and will undoubtedly be hoping that his side continue their early-season form with another impressive performance and result at Riverside.

In other news: QPR handed big injury boost ahead of Middlesbrough clash, fans will be buzzing

Pep Guardiola has been boosted by the news at Manchester City this week that John Stones has committed to a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, which should keep him at the club until 2026.

What’s the word?

Manchester City confirmed on their website on Tuesday morning that the centre-back has committed his long-term future to the Premier League champions, earning a well-deserved new deal after his superb performances for club and country last season.

After it was confirmed, Director of Football Txiki Begiristain shared his delight that Stones had signed an extension, saying: “This is great news for our club.

“John is an exceptional footballer and a fantastic defender, whose attributes are well suited to our style of play.

“We knew when we signed him that we were getting a talented centre-back, but he has really matured in his five years here and, as we saw last season, is at the top of his game right now.

“John has been an important part of our recent success and we believe he can continue to help us achieve our goals, so for him to commit his best years to us is a major boost for the club.”

A huge boost for Guardiola?

Stones has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in the past year, as last summer it seemed as if he could be forced out at Manchester City following the arrivals of Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, with the Portuguese defender tipped to partner Aymeric Laporte at the back.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

However, the former Everton man played superbly when given the chance by Guardiola and quickly formed a formidable partnership with Dias in the heart of City’s defence, which was key in their Premier League title success, as well as their run to the Champions League final.

He was also key to England reaching the Euro 2020 final earlier this summer, with Gareth Southgate’s side conceding just two goals across the tournament, so it was perhaps always likely that he would be offered a new deal at the Etihad, given that his previous contract was set to expire in 2022.

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If Stones and Dias can retain their form at the back for City in the 2021/22 season, then there seems little reason to suggest that Guardiola’s side can’t retain their Premier League title, and City fans will undoubtedly be delighted that one of their top performers from the 2020/21 campaign is here to stay.

In other news… Guardiola should ruthlessly axe “incredible” Man City star, he’s not been good enough

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has dropped a new transfer update on Leeds United’s plans for the rest of the summer window.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side had only seen Junior Firpo arrive through the door as a new first team signing this summer, with Jack Harrison finally seeing his move from Manchester City made permanent.

However, following confirmation of the arrival of Kristoffer Klaesson from Valerenga, Hay delivered an update on where things stand with the Whites at the moment.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “They were very keen on Conor Gallagher but he’s gone to Palace. LB was the priority this summer but they do still want a CM.

“The attitude towards a winger was that if the right player came up (like James, for example), they’d think about doing it, even if it was late in the window.

“But a CM was more of a priority.”

Fans will be excited

While Firpo’s arrival from Barcelona addressed the crucial need for a natural left-back this summer – especially with Gjanni Alioski leaving – Leeds have had a relatively slow start to the transfer window overall.

However, Hay’s update that the Whites still want a new central midfielder to join before the end of the window, and that they are open to making a new winger signing if an ideal opportunity opens up, should make for much more exciting reading for Leeds fans.

The Whites have done the first part of the main job in landing Firpo, and now they need to make a move towards bringing in a new midfielder and potentially even another left winger

If those deals get done, Leeds supporters will surely be absolutely delighted at how this transfer window will have gone.

Meanwhile, Leeds United have opened talks to sign this ace…

Brendon McCullum is looking forward to more opportunities to bat up the order in Tests as he sets his sights on becoming the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman

Cricinfo staff30-Sep-2008
Brendon McCullum is keen to take more batting responsibility in a relatively inexperienced Test line-up © Getty Images
Brendon McCullum is looking forward to more opportunities to bat up the order in Tests as he sets his sights on becoming the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman. McCullum has been pencilled in for the No. 5 spot on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, having filled that same role in the recent series in England.Prior to that McCullum was typically used at No. 7, but New Zealand’s relatively inexperienced batting line-up means he will become a more important middle-order man in the next few years. The captain Daniel Vettori has supported McCullum’s desire to settle at No. 5 in Bangladesh, in a middle order likely to feature the uncapped Jesse Ryder.”Dan knows what I’m trying to do in the game and my motives for doing it,” McCullum told the . “I want to be the best batsman-keeper in the world and by moving up the order it gives me a greater opportunity to do so, and to make a contribution to my team.”He will be hoping for big runs in next month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh, where he made his maiden Test century four years ago. New Zealand’s squad was departing on Tuesday and McCullum said having a couple of months off following the England tour was ideal.”I think sometimes when you’re continually playing, or on a playing-training regime, you lose a bit of focus in terms of what you’re trying to achieve,” McCullum said. “So the time out was great from that perspective. It freshened the body and mind and gave a bit more clarity.”The Bangladesh trip will act in part as preparation for New Zealand’s Test series against Australia in November. McCullum said entering the Bangladesh series as favourites was a situation not terribly familiar to New Zealand and they needed to embrace the opportunity.”If we want to get to the point we want to, which is to be the best team in the world, we have to start playing as frontrunners, and that’s a challenge this series presents,” he said. “This is a pretty good lead-in to a great summer and we’ve got to make sure we do the job clinically.”

A round-up of the latest round of the SuperSport series as Ashwell Prince produces a match-saving innings against his former team

Cricinfo staff10-Nov-2008Ashwell Prince’s unbeaten 72 helped guide the Warriors to a fighting draw against the his former team Cape Cobras at Paarl. Prince battled for more than four-and-a-half hours on the final day after his team appeared to be slipping to defeat at 87 for 5 after being set 268. However, Prince couldn’t do it alone and found stubborn support from Justin Kreusch, who used up 75 balls for his 18, and latterly Wayne Parnell with a 48-ball 11 to help see out the match. Claude Henderson and Charl Langeveldt were shaping as the match-winners with three wickets each, but struggled to breakthrough in the final session. Andrew Puttick’s first-day 105 set up the Cobras’ strong position as they ground their way to 340 in 135 overs. Francois Plaatjies then claimed a career-best 4 for 59 to earn the Cobras a lead of 77. They batted slightly more positively in their second innings, but didn’t declare until into the final morning. If that time had been given to the bowlers, the outcome could have been different.A slow contest between the Dolphins and the Eagles, also hit by poor weather, briefly came to life on the final day at Durban but still ended in the draw that appeared likely from the monent the Eagles scored at 2.5 runs-per-over in their first innings. During an opening session on the last morning, the Dolphins were bowled out for 275, a deficit of 145. However, their new-ball attack of Quinton Friend and Ugasen Govender reduced the Eagles to 6 for 4. The visitors then declared at 26 for 5, setting the Dolphins 172 in 35 overs. With bad light around, the chase wasn’t seriously attempted, but it at least enlivened the closing stages. Boeta Dippenaar (106) and Ryan Bailey (150) dominated the opening two days with a fourth-wicket stand of 217. “The pitch was very difficult on the first day,” Corrie van Zyl, Eagles coach, told the . “It was slow, with tennis ball bounce, and the ball moved around a lot. Bailey and Dippenaar did very well, in difficult circumstances, to bat us into a position where we could try to win the game. It was only the bad weather that prevented that from happening.”Faf du Plessis’s career-best 176 was the highlight of a weather-interrupted clash between the Titans and the Lions at Centurion Park. du Plessis cracked 27 fours and two sixes in his 243-ball innings after the Titans wobbled on 71 for 4. He added 156 with Pierre Joubert (61) before being caught at long off, but the runs continued to flow as Paul Harris hit 53. However, regular stoppages for bad light cut into the time available for the Titans to make the most of their strong batting performance. But at 161 for 5 there was an opening for the home side before Werner Coetsee struck an unbeaten 116 to erase any chance of the follow on. During a shortened final day Coetsee added an unbroken 126 for the seventh wicket with Matthew Harris.Player of the week – Faf du Plessis
Faf du Plessis showed sparks of his talent during the English season with Lancashire, but his 176 against the Lions confirmed the huge potential that has secured him a three-year deal in county cricket. He is currently maintaining his career in both England and South Africa, playing for Lancashire as a Kolpak, and he has yet to decide which country he wants to try and have an international future with. The player-drain from South Africa is a major issue, and they won’t want to lose someone of du Plessis’s quality.

Titans 5 2 00 3 0 54.62 Eagles 5 2 2 0 1 049.92 Warriors 5 1 20 2 0 42.24 Lions 5 1 1 0 3 039.22 Cape Cobras 4 0 10 3 0 23.58 Dolphins 4 0 0 0 4 021.86

The winners of the Twenty20 Cup at the Rose Bowl on Saturday could be set to join in Allen Stanford’s winner-takes-all bonanza in Antigua in November

Cricinfo staff24-Jul-2008
Guyana were the first team to feel Allen Stanford’s largesse when they collected their million-dollar paycheque in 2006 © Getty Images
The winners of the Twenty20 Cup at the Rose Bowl on Saturday are set to join in Allen Stanford’s winner-takes-all bonanza in Antigua in November, as county cricket anticipates the biggest single payday in its history.Twenty20 Finals Day gets underway this Saturday, where there is expected to be an additional incentive for the four teams involved – Kent, Essex, Durham and Middlesex. Whoever lifts the cup will take on Trinidad & Tobago, the 2008 Stanford 20/20 champions, ahead of the £10million winner-takes-all match between Stanford’s All Stars team against England.According to a report in The Daily Mail, Stanford will offer each member of the county £30,000 for their efforts, but only if they win. The tantalising offer will go some way towards compensating the counties if the proposed Champions League, which is due to feature the two teams that contest the final, fails to take place.At present, the Champions League proposal is on the rocks due to the insistence of the host board, the BCCI, that the counties will be disqualified if they include players from the “rebel” Indian Cricket League. If Essex and Middlesex make it to the final, there will be no complications as neither side is implicated, but if Durham or Kent progress, they both have players involved.Stanford’s intervention, however, increases the possibility that the ECB will simply walk away from the proposal, and seek further money-making opportunities with their billionaire benefactor.At his Rose Bowl press conference, Stanford is also expected to confirm details of the annual three-nation Twenty20 challenge that is set to be staged at Lord’s from 2009. England and West Indies will be regular competitors, with one other nation invited to make up the numbers each year.

At 36, most first-class cricketers are winding down and perhaps trying to eke out a couple more years while their bodies and skills hold up. Bryce McGain, however, has just been picked for his first Australia A tour

Brydon Coverdale21-Aug-2008
Bryce McGain is hoping he can succeed in Indian conditions © Getty Images
At 36, most first-class cricketers are winding down and perhaps trying to eke out a couple more years while their bodies and skills hold up. They are rarely considered exciting prospects, yet those are the words Australia’s chairman of selectors used on Wednesday to describe Bryce McGain, the Victoria legspinner.McGain turns 37 next March and has just been selected for his first Australia A tour, a trip to India in a fortnight. If he bowls well, the prize could be a spot in the Test squad that will attempt to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India a month later. It is a dream that seemed out of reach when he was overlooked for Australia’s tour of the West Indies this year.”This is the opportunity,” McGain said. “You can’t do it when you’re running around the Tan [running track] in the middle of winter in Melbourne, you can do it when you get an opportunity to play cricket. Being across in India is the right place to do it.”He will have only two three-day games against India A to press his claims and two other slow bowlers will be doing the same. The squad also includes Beau Casson, the left-arm wrist-spinner who made his Test debut two months ago, and the Tasmania offspinner Jason Krejza.They are both 25, yet McGain is the least experienced of the three at first-class level. He only established himself in the Victoria team last season with a strong Pura Cup campaign that brought him 38 wickets. This time last year he was working full-time in a bank, which he believes actually goes in his favour with the selectors.”I know that players who have played a decade of first-class cricket and also other options, playing overseas and things like that, do get worn out,” he said. “I guess I’ve been fresh for a long time.”I plan to not hang around just for one or two years, I plan to prepare myself for beyond that. I think I’ve got a bit of longevity. I don’t think it’s a short-term fix, I think it could be a long-term option as well.”The only cricket McGain has played outside Australia came during a couple of seasons in England and a stint playing in Denmark, so the India trip will be as much a learning curve for him as for the younger men. He has been picking the brains of colleagues who have played in the subcontinent because he knows that with the attrition rate in Australia’s spin ranks in the past two years, a Test call-up could come at any time.”I’m still in there with a chance,” he said. “It probably indicates that it still is open in terms of selection. I guess that goes for every position. It’s a new-look Australian group and a new tier coming up behind the existing team so I’m just really excited to be a part of that.”The 14-man Australia A unit heads to Brisbane on the weekend for a short training camp before flying out for India in a week. The Test squad will be picked after the completion of the three-day games in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Transfer Tavern’s EFL spy reckons that Ipswich will be able to make some good quality loan deals this window.

Paul Cook’s team will be hoping it’s third time lucky in their bid to return to the Championship after their second season at League One level ended disastrously.

The Ipswich boss is expected to be a busy man this summer as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of another promotion push.

One position that desperately needs filling is between the sticks.

Whilst he’s already signed Salford stopper Vaclav Hladky, Ipswich have already lost two senior goalkeepers and are expected to move on last season’s number one Tomas Holy, who’s reportedly surplus to requirements at Portman Road.

With that in mind, the EFL insider reckons that Cook should turn his attention to Aston Villa’s Jed Steer, who made just two Carabao Cup appearance for Villa last season and will be looking for more regular first-team football.

He exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“Obviously, Ipswich being a big club helps but with them needing a central midfielder and goalkeeper, good quality loans will still be attainable for them. Jed Steer at Aston Villa has top handling and would be a great option.”

Pakistan have several new players in the squad for the Asia Cup and the relatively easy opening fixture against Hong Kong is an opportunity to give some of them international exposure ahead of tougher matches against India and Sri Lanka

George Binoy23-Jun-2008Match factsTuesday June 24, 2008
Start time 16.00 (local time) 10.00 (GMT)
Mohammad Yousuf has scored 710 runs at an average of 88.75 in 14 matches in Pakistan since 2007 © AFP
Big PictureEarlier this month, Pakistan bounced back from an embarrassing 140-run defeat against India to win the Kitply Cup but, despite that success, they are yet to find a settled team combination. Their first opponents in the Asia Cup – Hong Kong – shouldn’t stretch them but they will want to use this match to fine tune their preparations for tougher contests against India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan have several new players – Saeed Ajmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mansoor Ajmad and Nasir Jamshed – in the squad for the Asia Cup and the fixture against Hong Kong is an opportunity to give some of them international exposure.An unstable part of Pakistan’s team – their opening combination – has become more uncertain with the dropping of Kamran Akmal, who has partnered Salman Butt in recent matches. Sarfraz, Akmal’s replacement, is no opener and, though his batting skills may not match Akmal’s, his role of lower-order batsman is secondary to his primary job of keeping wicket.Hong Kong, on the other hand, will use this match against Pakistan, and the next against India, to get a feel of what it’s like to mix with the big boys. They will use this platform as prep for their next tournament, the Asian Cricket Council Trophy, where they compete against opposition of more or less equal strength. Their last one-day internationals were in the 2004 Asia Cup, when they lost to Pakistan and Bangladesh by a margin of more than 100 runs.Form guidePakistan (most recent first) WLWWW
Hong Kong haven’t played any ODIs since 2004.Watch out for …Saeed Ajmal the 30-year old offspinner who took 38 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 29 in the 2007-08 first-class season. Pakistan missed a second spinner during the Kitply Cup and it is likely that Ajmal will fill that slot.Nadeem Ahmed the Hong Kong left-arm spinner who made his ODI debut during the 2004 Asia Cup at the age of 16.Team newsAkmal’s absence leaves a vacancy at the top of the order and although Jamshed is the specialist opener in the squad, he may not get an opportunity in the interest of team balance. Pakistan may look to open with either Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Malik in order to play Ajmal as the second spinner.Pakistan (probable): 1 Salman Butt, 2 Shahid Afridi, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Shoaib Malik (capt), 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Rao Iftikhar Anjum, 11 Saeed Ajmal.Hong Kong: Tabarak Dar (capt), Afzaal Haider, Ashish Gadhia, James Atkinson, Toby Brown, Hussain Butt, Irfan Ahmed, Courtney Kruger, Roy Lamsam, Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Najeeb Amar, Skhawat Ali, Waqas Barkat (wk), Zain Abbas.Umpires: Tony Hill and Brian Jerling.Stats and triviaPakistan have won all of their last ten matches at home, against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.Mohammad Yousuf has scored 710 runs at an average of 88.75 in 14 matches in Pakistan since 2007. Pakistan have tried 12 opening combinations in their last 34 matches since 2007.Quotes”We will take it match by match. First up is Hong Kong and we don’t want any let ups in that match which we should win without any discomfort.”
Malik is keen not to take Hong Kong lightly.”Cricket is a funny game and we should remember there were lots of upsets in the 2007 World Cup so we must give it our best to upset Pakistan.”Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib hopes his team can do what Ireland did in the Caribbean.

Marcus Bent doesn’t believe Everton will revisit their interest in Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko this summer.

The Toffees came close to signing the experienced Frenchman back in 2016 following Newcastle’s relegation back to the Championship.

However, the midfielder failed to agree personal terms at Goodison Park and ended up joining Spurs.

But having slipped down the pecking order in north London, making an exit more than likely, Bent reckons that Sissoko’s age could prove a barrier to stop Rafael Benitez from linking up with the 31-year-old once again after their brief spell together at Newcastle, in which he made the Frenchman captain in one fixture against Manchester City.

But Sissoko turns 32 on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and the former Toffees striker believes that Benitez will be looking to bring in younger players.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I don’t think they’re going for a 31-year-old. With the players and Everton who they are at the minute, they can go for a younger signing.

“Bringing in a 31-year-old, and don’t get me wrong, massive player, but I don’t think that would be a good signing for Everton. Whether it happens or not I don’t know, or whether Rafa demands him, I don’t know.”

Everton generally have a young squad, so adding to Sissoko to their party would be a bizarre signing.

Managers love bringing in former players, not to mention that Benitez once made the French midfielder captain at Newcastle, but this isn’t a transfer that many will expect to see materialise.