Ayegbeni Yakubu (15 mins)
Steven Nzonzi (23 mins)
own(Nedum Onuoha) ((45 + 5 mins) mins)
Jamie Mackie (71 mins)
Jamie Mackie ((89 + 2 mins) mins)
Barclays Premier League
, Feb 11, 2012
Ground: Ewood Park
, Kickoff: 15:00 , Att 20,252
Team news
Kean delighted to welcome Yak back Manager Steve Kean believes Aiyegbeni Yakubu's return will be the catalyst to lift Blackburn out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone.
The striker has missed the last three league games through suspension after he was shown a red card in the 3-1 win over Wigan but is available for the clash against fellow strugglers QPR.
During Yakubu's ban, Blackburn have only picked up a point in the 1-1 draw against Everton while last Saturday they were subjected to a 7-1 thrashing at Arsenal.
However, Kean is confident the return of the Nigerian will make all the difference as he tries to wrestle three points from a team three places better off in the league.
"To get the Yak back, he's our leading scorer and we've missed him," Kean said. "I think he's quoted as saying that three games felt like three months so it's brilliant for us to have him back. He's our leading scorer and if we give him the service he's going to be a real important player for us in the remaining games.
"He's an infectious character round the place and he's always got a smile on his face and it's great that he's back and available for selection again." Kean is confident his side are in good shape to face a QPR side who are just three points ahead of them.
"It's a big week, and it's a week off the back of the Arsenal result, but we've done a lot of positive work," Kean said.
"It's a game to be looking forward to and not to be dreading.
"It's on our home patch and the crowd over the last three or four home games has been fantastic, along with the travelling fans, so the atmosphere has been nice inside the ground and we're really looking forward to this game." Mark Hughes may still be getting used to his new QPR squad but he believes he has seen enough to suggest they have enough firepower to beat the drop this season.
The Welsh manager replaced Neil Warnock at the Loftus Road helm exactly a month ago and swiftly went about bringing in new faces such as Nedum Onuoha, Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora.
The latter played under Hughes during his spell in charge at Fulham last season, where they overcame a poor start to finish eighth in the table.
While admitting circumstances are a lot different a year on with QPR, Hughes is confident his new side can also enjoy a strong end to the campaign. "I am still getting a real understanding of what I have to work with," he said. "It's not been easy because coming in January is a bit different to my previous job, where I was there from the start of the season.
"I had longer to assess the squad and what happened at Fulham last year was we struggled with attacking players.
"Bobby Zamora was out for a long period, Mousa Dembele was unavailable and Andrew Johnson as well, so that had an effect on us.
"We had to wait for those guys back in the New Year and they made a big difference.
"I think in terms of what we can deduce in an attacking sense, I think we are definitely on par that.
"That's why I am confident that we can create chances and now we have guys than can covert them as well." QPR's new-look strikeforce of Cisse and Zamora impressed last week against Wolves, although the partnership only lasted 34 minutes as the former received a straight red card for an altercation with Roger Johnson.
The sending off helped the west Midlanders who came back from a goal behind to win 2-1 at Loftus Road and, while Cisse is unavailable for the trip to Blackburn, Hughes is keen to take the positives from the match. "I was pleased by some of the things we saw," Hughes said. "Obviously we were disappointed to lose the game and losing Djibril for three games, which is a big loss.
"In terms of what we can produce in an attacking sense, I think we've improved markedly since we added players.
"I am looking forward to the game at the weekend, which will be another big test.
"We know exactly what we have to do; we have to win as many games as we can ahead of us.
Blackburn vs QPR
Last modified 17:32 11/02/12
Yak comes back to boost Rovers Ayegbeni Yakubu made a goalscoring return as Blackburn survived a second-half fightback from fellow strugglers QPR to secure three precious points from a 3-2 victory at Ewood Park.
Rovers striker Yakubu, back from suspension, opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, Steven Nzonzi extended the lead in the 23rd by converting Junior Hoilett's pass and Nedum Onuoha's own-goal then made it 3-0 just prior to the interval.
Substitute Jamie Mackie netted in the 71st minute and again in the closing stages to set up a nervy finale, but Blackburn held on for the victory, the ideal response to last weekend's humiliating 7-1 defeat at Arsenal.
A two-goal win would have seen Rovers move out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone and send QPR into it, but Mackie's late second strike means the London outfit stay where they are in 16th, while Blackburn are up a place to 18th, with both clubs level on 21 points from 25 games.
Top scorer Yakubu returned to the hosts' starting line-up after serving a three-match ban, but defender Gael Givet was beginning a suspension following his sending-off in the Arsenal game, so Grant Hanley also came into the team, along with Bradley Orr, who was making his first start since joining from the R's on transfer deadline day, and Mauro Formica.
QPR's former Rovers boss Mark Hughes - without suspended frontman Djibril Cisse - made three changes following the 2-1 defeat to Wolves, bringing Fitz Hall, Armand Traore and Akos Buzsaky into the side.
Blackburn were eager to put their debacle at the Emirates Stadium firmly behind them but they almost suffered further embarrassment early on when Hanley made an error and Bobby Zamora looked to capitalise, only to see his cross intercepted.
Rovers soon settled down, with Hoilett firing an effort against Anton Ferdinand, and on the quarter-hour mark they took the lead as Yakubu marked his comeback in style.
The Nigerian collected the ball from Nzonzi's flick-on, turned and smashed home past Paddy Kenny for his 14th goal of the season.
QPR tried to make a quick response as Onuoha headed wide, but soon after Blackburn had doubled their advantage as Hoilett broke into the box and teed up Nzonzi, who swept the ball in.
Hoilett looked to put Rovers further ahead but his shot was blocked.
A tame attempt from QPR's Adel Taarabt did little to trouble Paul Robinson, and Morten Gamst Pedersen then drove a free-kick into the visitors' wall.
Hanley failed in a bid to connect with a corner, the Scot injuring himself in the process although he was able to carry on, before Buzsaky lashed well wide and Robinson got down to save Traore's shot.
Blackburn then made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time, Scott Dann heading the ball across the area for Hoilett, whose shot went in off Onuoha.
There was a setback for Rovers at the start of the second half with Hoilett having to be withdrawn, Adam Henley the man to come on.
Moments later, though, they almost had another goal as Yakubu sent an audacious chip against the crossbar.
Onuoha found himself through in the 65th minute but produced a poor strike which Robinson saved with ease and Taye Taiwo then cracked one wide for the visitors.
QPR were applying some considerable pressure, and with a little under 20 minutes to go they pulled a goal back as Jamie Mackie - on for Buzsaky - put in Taiwo's cross with a close-range finish.
Mackie was then presented with another opportunity, but shot at Robinson.
The goalkeeper turned an effort from Taarabt around the post and Shaun Wright-Phillips hit one over the bar.
| Player rating out of ten | Player name | Substitution | Did they score? | Player's disciplinary record | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Robinson | ||||
| 18 | Bradley Orr | ||||
| 31 | Grant Hanley | ||||
| 16 | Scott Dann | ||||
| 3 | Martin Olsson | ||||
| 15 | Steven Nzonzi |
|
|||
| 35 | Jason Lowe |
|
|||
| 23 | David Hoilett(sub 49) |
|
|||
| 10 | Mauro Formica(sub 65) |
|
|||
| 12 | Morten Gamst Pedersen | ||||
| 24 | Ayegbeni Yakubu(sub 89) |
|
|
||
| Substitutes | |||||
| 13 | Mark Bunn | ||||
| 9 | Anthony Modeste(sub 65) |
|
|||
| 14 | Radosav Petrovic | ||||
| 20 | Ruben Rochina | ||||
| 25 | David Goodwillie(sub 89) |
|
|||
| 29 | Simon Vukcevic | ||||
| 39 | Adam Henley(sub 49) |
|
|||
| Player rating out of ten | Player name | Did they score? | Player's disciplinary record | Substitution | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Kenny | ||||
| 42 | Nedum Onuoha | ||||
| 35 | Anton Ferdinand | ||||
| 5 | Fitz Hall(sub 90) |
|
|||
| 13 | Armand Traore | ||||
| 32 | Shaun Wright-Phillips | ||||
| 17 | Joey Barton | ||||
| 14 | Akos Buzsaky(sub 65) |
|
|||
| 34 | Taye Taiwo | ||||
| 7 | Adel Taarabt | ||||
| 52 | Bobby Zamora | ||||
| Substitutes | |||||
| 24 | Radek Cerny | ||||
| 3 | Clint Hill | ||||
| 4 | Shaun Derry | ||||
| 6 | Daniel Gabbidon(sub 90) |
|
|||
| 10 | Jay Bothroyd | ||||
| 12 | Jamie Mackie(sub 65) |
|
|
|
|
| 21 | Tommy Smith | ||||
| Team | Blackburn | QPR |
|---|
