Derby's injury-ravaged squad has been supplemented by the loan signing of Bryan Hughes ahead of the visit of QPR.

The Hull midfielder, whose initial stay at Pride Park will last for one month, goes straight into a squad depleted by an injury list that stands in double figures.

County's cause worsened in midweek with the news that defender Jay McEveley suffered a fractured cheekbone at Middlesbrough and will be out for around eight weeks.

Kris Commons' troublesome hamstring problem flared up again on Teesside and the forward is also out.

Fredrik Stoor missed the Boro game with an ankle injury he sustained at Leicester but it is hoped the right-back will be fit for the final game of his loan spell before returning to Fulham.

There is a chance that midfielder Stephen Pearson (groin) and forward Steve Davies (ankle) will return to the squad following injury lay-offs of one month and two months respectively, while Miles Addison, Paul Green, Chris Porter and Ben Pringle are also out.

QPR will be without the suspended Ben Watson for the trip.

The on-loan Wigan midfielder was sent off for the second time in two matches against Reading on Tuesday and begins a two-match ban, so Gavin Mahon could earn a recall.

Boss Jim Magilton will hand late checks to Mikele Leigertwood and Jay Simpson.

Midfielder Leigertwood has missed the last two games due to a virus, and on-loan Arsenal forward Jay Simpson limped out of the 4-1 win over Reading with a leg knock.

In-form Rangers are still without skipper Martin Rowlands, who will miss the rest of the season with a cruciate injury, defender Matthew Connolly (glandular fever), midfielder Hogan Ephraim (ankle) and striker Angelo Balanta (groin).