Premier League relegation candidates Queens Park Rangers host Liverpool on Sunday, with the London club hoping to end a disappointing year on a high. The Reds, too, have had a disappointing season so far, and will want to end 2012 with a positive response to manager Brendan Rodgers' call for consistency.

QPR v Fulham
Reuters

Where to Watch Live

Kick-off is set for 4pm GMT. Live coverage is on Sky Sports and Sky Sports 1 HD, with radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Overview

QPR have recovered some measure of pride since the appointment of former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp. The 65-year-old Englishman led Tony Fernandes' club to a first league win of the season in mid-December, with a 2-1 home win over Fulham.

Unfortunately, like Liverpool, inconsistency threatens to derail Redknapp's efforts, with the Loftus Road outfit slipping to consecutive defeats since then - to Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion. With games against Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham to come in January, Redknapp faces an uphill battle to keep his club in the Premier League.

QPR's home form this season is reasonable, given their overall position, with only four defeats in nine games. And a second league win of the campaign might just lift the club off the bottom of the table and into 19th... an enormous achievement.

The Reds, meanwhile, have been annoyingly inconsistent and Rodgers, despite making all the right comments, is right to be worried. The Anfield club followed a run of three wins (in all competitions) at the start of the month by losing twice in the last four games. Those defeats (to Aston Villa last week and Stoke City on Boxing Day) means a year that should have finished with the club challenging for European football next season will end a position on the fringes of the top ten, at best.

Brendan Rodgers
Reuters

However, Redknapp will be cautious about the two victories Liverpool registered in the last four games - over Fulham and West Ham United - in which the Reds scored seven goals and conceded only two. Liverpool's away form has been poor, though, with only two wins in nine games so far and more goals conceded than scored.

Team Form

Queens Park Rangers

  • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): L L W D D
  • Last Match: QPR 1 - 2 West Brom

Liverpool

  • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): L W L W W
  • Last Match: Stoke City 3 - 1 Liverpool
Luis Suarez
Reuters

Team News

QPR will be without strikers Andy Johnson (knee) and Bobby Zamora (thigh). In addition, goalkeeper Julio Cesar (back) and captain Park Ji-Sung (knee) are unlikely to be available. Former Chelsea right-back Jose Bosingwa (back) is also a doubt, but his participation may also depend on Redknapp's reaction to an argument between the two before the Fulham game; the Portuguese was fined £130,000 and has not played since.

Probable Line-Up: Green; Fabio, Ferdinand, Hill, Traore; Wright-Phillips, Faurlin, Mbia, Taarabt; Cisse, Mackie

Rodgers has a full strength squad for this match, except for long-term injuries to striker Fabio Borini (foot) and defender Martin Kelly (knee). The Reds will be further boosted by the recovery of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from a knock on Boxing Day.

Probable Line-Up: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard, Allen; Downing, Suarez, Sterling

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