QPR will be without midfield duo Ben Watson and Martin Rowlands for Saturday's Championship clash with Preston at Loftus Road.

The pair are suspended following their red cards in the 2-0 defeat at Swansea a fortnight ago, although Rowlands is now facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury playing for the Republic of Ireland.

Mikele Leigertwood, who has been playing in defence, is set to move back into his preferred midfield position with Peter Ramage earning a recall at right-back.

Alejandro Faurlin or Gavin Mahon will fill the other gap in the centre.

Defender Fitz Hall (groin) and ex-Preston midfielder Gareth Ainsworth (hamstring) played for the reserves this week and are available.

But Hogan Ephraim (ankle), Matthew Connolly (glandular fever) and Angelo Balanta (groin) are out.

Preston boss Alan Irvine will assess the fitness of skipper Callum Davidson and winger Paul Parry ahead of Saturday.

Left-back Davidson is edging closer to full fitness after more than five weeks on the sidelines suffering from a torn hamstring.

And Parry, a summer signing from Cardiff, looks almost certain to be available following a similar hamstring injury, giving Irvine a welcome selection dilemma.

Ross Wallace, Eddie Nolan and Veliche Shumulikoski have all been away on international duty since North End's last outing at home to West Brom on October 3 but looked to have returned unscathed from injury.

Midfielder Barry Nicholson remains a long-term absentee with a broken leg but Irvine should have no other major concerns.