Boss Mick McCarthy has handed Luke Varney and Brett Pitman starts as the Blues face QPR at Loftus Road today, the duo having combined to created Town’s late winner against Reading on Tuesday. Daryl Murphy and Ainsley Maitland-Niles drop to the bench, while Luke Hyam misses out with a calf injury.

The Blues - who will be wearing the Barcelona-style kit for only the second time - look likely to line-up in a 4-4-2 formation with Varney - making his first Championship start since May - and Pitman up front and Freddie Sears and Ryan Fraser in the wide roles and with Kevin Bru, who returns to the starting line-up in place of Hyam, alongside Cole Skuse in the centre of midfield.

For QPR, who include former Blues loanee Massimo Luongo, Conor Washington replaces the sold Leroy Fer in an otherwise unchanged team.

QPR: Smithies, Perch, Hall, Onouha, Konchesky, Phillips, Faurlin, Luongo, Hoilett, Washington, Polter. Subs: Ingram, Angella, Chery, Petresso, Tozser, El Khayati, Mackie.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Bru, Fraser, Sears, Varney, Pitman. Subs: Henly, Foley, Digby, Coke, Maitland-Niles, Touré, Murphy.

Photo: Action Images

BlueKush added 14:16 - Feb 6 Varney's better on the right and Sears is better through the middle, surely?
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ChestnutSe added 14:18 - Feb 6 Murph took a knock on Tuesday which I expect he is still carrying. Hope Varnet can step up, big boots to fill in my opinion. Good to see Bru in from the start.
3

RaymondovicBlue added 14:21 - Feb 6 This team should bring home the points... I GUESS that Verney and Sears will interchange to stop the defence settling. Murphy from the bench.... Not a bad sub to have in the squad eh? Many posters here have been argueing that this is what they've been hoping to see today so.... Let's see!! Now to deliver boys COYB
1

WeWereZombies added 14:22 - Feb 6 Malarcyzk not on the bench again, doesn't bode well for him. Quite an attacking line-up so let's hope it is not a repeat of Reading away this afternoon.
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TimmyH added 14:24 - Feb 6 Not sure if Pitman is more of an impact player when he comes on as a sub but believe he deserves ro start whether Murphy is carrying a slight knock or not. AMN in my opinion deserves to be benched he seems like after his good start to the season he's slowly getting less interested, and no surprise again that Hyam is injured...hopefully a short term job. Beleive we can sneak this one today...COYB!

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jas0999 added 14:26 - Feb 6 I'm not a fan of Varney but he did more than Murphy (who looks a shadow of the player from last season) in two minutes on Tuesday night. Murph aside though, our bench looks really weak which is why I still find it remarkable that we didn't strengthen.
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christiand added 14:48 - Feb 6 Think we'll be ineffective, hoping not, but pitman isn't a target man and neither is Varney. Can't see us retaining the ball up top much, unless we change our style of play. Hope they make me eat my words!!
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Seasider added 14:50 - Feb 6 Pleased for Pitts,lets hope he will justify his start. Not sure if Murphy is injured;but after his display on Tuesday deserves to be dropped,as does AMN;so this is the side I would like to have started anyway. However am a little concerned about Ryan Frasers hamstring which was tight after Tuesdays game,and with the heavy pitches would expect him to be subbed later in game;but expect this will depend how the game is going. Have just seen Leicester beat Man City 1-3,commentator said their North African goalscorer(is it Myrez?)only cost £400.000;so you can get good players under a million Mick

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Pilgrimblue added 14:54 - Feb 6 Interesting! MM changes team but will he change tactics? Good crosses to BP will create chances and hope Bru plays well but not good ground for us so time for win.
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bluey123 added 15:19 - Feb 6 Super Bart
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