Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton has revealed that this weekend's clash with Blackpool may come too soon for Lee Wallace.

The left-back has recently been forced to watch on from the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury in August.

In Wallace's absence, QPR have made an encouraging start to the 2021/22 campaign in the Championship.

Currently fifth in the second-tier standings, the Hoops returned to winning ways in this division in yesterday's showdown with Cardiff City.

Andre Gray netted his third goal of the season as he secured a 1-0 victory for his side in the Welsh capital.

Warburton opted to play Moses Odubajo in Wallace's position during this fixture as fellow full-back Sam McCallum missed this fixture due to injury.

Odubajo could be in line to feature in this role again on Saturday as McCallum is set to be out of action for the foreseeable future whilst Wallace is still recovering from his issue.

Making reference to Wallace, Warburton admitted that this weekend's game may come too soon for the defender and thus the 34-year-old may need to wait until after the international break to feature for QPR.

Speaking to West London Sport about Wallace, the Hoops boss said: "We've been trying to get Lee back.

"He's a very important player and has an impact on the squad in terms of his talking to players on the pitch - there's no doubt he helps the likes of Chris (Willock) and Ilias (Chair).

"So we've missed him, but we can't hasten it.

 

 

"We want him back as quickly as possible but at the same time recognise that he's had a lay-off and you have to let it calm down, which takes time.

"I think Blackpool may be too early, we'll see.

"But certainly Luton will be a target game to come back and play."

The Verdict

This is a sensible approach by Warburton as Wallace could potentially suffer another injury setback if he is rushed back into action this weekend.

By making sure that the defender is ready to feature at senior level, the QPR boss could be able to call upon his services for the club's clashes with Luton Town and Huddersfield Town following the international break.

Having helped his side secure a clean-sheet in yesterday's showdown with Cardiff by recording a WhoScored match rating of 7.24 in this fixture, Odubajo will be brimming with confidence heading into this weekend's meeting with Blackpool.

The 28-year-old could potentially help his side seal all three points at Bloomfield Road if he produces another impressive display in this fixture.