QPR manager Marti Cifuentes faces a headache ahead of his first home game in charge of Rangers after midfielder Ilias Chair picked up a fifth yellow card of the season against Rotherham and therefore is suspended for Saturday’s game against Bristol City.

Chair, who scored a brilliant first goal of the season in last weekend’s draw at The New York Stadium was booked for kicking the ball away early in the first half, picking up his fifth caution of the season and ruling him out of the next game.

Referee Sam Barrott appeared to be card-happy in the opening 45 minutes, handing out three cautions. However, he has come under fire on social media from QPR fans, who are unhappy with the lack of consistency shown, especially when it came to penalising time-wasting and gamesmanship.

Cifuentes was already left short of midfield options thalinks to suspensions, with Andre Dozzell serving a one-match ban for a red card in Gareth Ainsworth’s last game in charge against Leicester City, as well as Jack Colback serving his second suspension of the season, after first being sent off against former club Sunderland, and then for picking up five yellow cards.

As for who replaces Chair ahead of the Bristol City game, Elijah Dixon-Bonner’s highly impressive full debut against the Millers means he should retain his spot in Cifuentes XI, with the returning Dozzell and Colback also available for the Spaniard to select.

Writer’s View

Chair is without a doubt QPR’s most dangerous and creative player and will be pivotal in how new manager Marti Cifuentes wants his side to play.

With Rangers hoping to end their dire run of form at Loftus Road, losing their key creator is a massive blow and one that will give currently managerless Bristol City a boost as they head to a ground they haven’t lost at since 2016.