QPR v Leicester City: Pearson aiming to build on positives

Nigel Pearson is hoping Leicester City have turned a corner as they aim to end a recent goal drought at fellow strugglers QPR on Saturday.

Leicester have failed to score since a 2-2 draw with Burnley at the start of October and have dropped into the Premier League’s bottom three as a result.

However, a home draw against Sunderland last week provided something of a boost following four successive defeats.

And manager Pearson now wants his side to exhibit further improvement at Loftus Road when they face a QPR side that props up the table.

“It’s not been an easy baptism [for us],” said Pearson. “It is an important game for us, as it is for them. 

“Last week we certainly played a lot more positively than we had done before. There remain areas to improve on, but we were much more like what were capable of.

“We’re going to have to play well, it is important that we go there with the right intentions.

“Last week we showed the right intent.”

The previous three meetings between Leicester and QPR have been decided by a solitary goal, with the former winning home and away against Harry Redknapp’s men in the Championship last term.

However, although the London club – who would leapfrog Leicester with victory this weekend – have won only two Premier League contests this season, they can take heart from some encouraging recent results at home.

QPR twice took the lead before being held to a 2-2 draw by reigning champions Manchester City in their last match at Loftus Road.

They have lost only one of their last five home matches and will hope Charlie Austin can maintain the form that has brought four goals in as many outings.

Experienced manager Redknapp said: “It’s very close at the bottom still. We’re okay, I feel we’re playing well, [and] we just need a result now.

“I’m expecting a tough game. They [Leicester] are a good side and they were by far and away the best side in the Championship last year and won it quite comfortably.

“We were in the same league last year and they were a good team. Nigel Pearson has done a great job so it’ll be a difficult game but we are at home.”

QPR will have to make do without the suspended Richard Dunne, while Sandro is absent due to a knee problem.

However, Redknapp is hopeful Rio Ferdinand will be fit to start after completing a three-match ban of his own.

Leicester have no new injury worries, with Dean Hammond (calf) and Zoumana Bakayogo (knee) still unavailable. Matthew Upson (ankle) is also set to miss out again despite playing 45 minutes for the club’s development squad on Monday.