Barclays Premier League

FT: QPR 0 NORWICH 0

Both teams have to settle for a point after a goalless draw at Loftus Road, which will be more satisfying for Norwich than it will the home side, who remain well adrift at the bottom of the table. Rangers will look back on Adel Taarabt's failure to convert a 57th-minute penalty. How costly could that be come the end of the season? It was awarded after Mark Bunn upended Jamie Mackie, but the Canaries goalkeeper redeemed himself by making a stunning save to deny the Moroccan from the spot. Bunn also made another magnificent stop to deny debutant Andros Townsend late on. At the other end, Julio Cesar was in equally impressive form in the Rangers goal, making brilliant saves to keep out a close-range volley from Wes Hoolahan and a drive from distance from Bradley Johnson. It wasn't a classic game, but it did get better after the break and Rangers showed enough to suggest that they can carry this survival battle right to the final week of the season.

PENALTY CLAIMS

Becchio makes a meal of a push by Ben-Haim inside the area, falling to the floor. You don't get penalties for those sort of misdemeanours away from home.

CANARIES HANGING ON

Ben-Haim does very well to control the ball on the right and deliver a dangerous cross that is cleared by Turner. Norwich are hanging on a little here.

INTO STOPPAGE TIME

There will be five minutes of stoppage time.

NORWICH SUBSTITUTION

Luciano Becchio is on for his debut, replacing Hoolahan.

SUPER SAVE FROM BUNN

Townsend's vicious long-range strike is magnificently clawed away by Bunn. Hill then heads over from the corner.

NORWICH BOOKING

Bassong trips the tricky Mackie and is the latest man in the book.

ZAMORA HEADS WIDE

Zamora heads wide from a Townsend cross to the far post and then claims he was held by Martin. Referee Moss thinks otherwise. Holt's tame effort is easy for Cesar at the other end.

JENAS FREE-KICK BLOCKED

Jenas beats the wall with his free-kick, but it strikes the back of his own man, Mackie, with Bunn preparing to make the save.

NORWICH BOOKING

Michael Turner is harshly cautioned for a challenge on Jamie Mackie. That was not even a free-kick in my book, a rare error by Mr Moss.

CESAR TIPS ROUND THE POST

Snodgrass sees his long-range effort tipped round the post by Cesar. Replays show that might have just been going wide anyway.

EASY FOR BUNN

Rangers are going for it, as you would expect. Townsend cuts in from the right, but Bunn deals easily with his left-foot shot.

QPR BOOKING AND SUBSTITUTION

Clint Hill is shown a delayed yellow card for a foul on Snodgrass. QPR make their final change, Ben-Haim replacing the injured Fabio.

FABIO LIMPING AGAIN

Fabio's in the wars again. He appears to have tweaked his knee blocking a shot from Bennett, but will struggle on.

QPR SUBSTITUTION

Rangers make their second switch. Jermaine Jenas comes on to make his debut, replacing Stephane Mbia.

HOLT CLEARS OFF THE LINE

Samba rises to meet a Taarabt free-kick and Holt hooks the ball away from near the line. It might just have been sneaking into the corner.

NORWICH BOOKING

Bennett makes an excellent tackle to thwart Fabio, who gets gingerly to his feet. Tettey then trips Taarabt and is shown his third yellow card of the season.

CESAR SAVES AGAIN

Back come Norwich. Johnson's 25-yard left-foot piledriver forces Cesar into another wonderful save, diving to his left. The Brazilian then beats away an effort from Snodgrass.

AWKWARD SAVE FROM BUNN

Mackie finds Taarabt, whose powerful drive is swerving viciously. Bunn palms the ball in front of him, but Garrido clears the danger.

OVER FROM TAARABT

Rangers win a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the area, but again Taarabt cannot produce the goods, curling a shot into the crowd.

BUNN EARNS HIS MONEY

When I first saw that Mackie tumble, I thought he had taken a dive, but replays show there was definite contact. The penalty from Taarabt was well placed, but the goalkeeper guessed right and flung himself to his left.

PENALTY SAVED

Bunn makes a stunning save from Taarabt's penalty, diving to his left.

QPR PENALTY

Rangers have a penalty for a foul by Bunn on Mackie, who was trying to round him. It's the right decision.

QPR SUBSTITUTION

Wright-Phillips is replaced by Bobby Zamora.

BRILLIANT CESAR SAVE

Cesar makes a blinding save to keep out a near-post volley by Hoolahan from a Snodgrass cross. Turner is then unable to force the ball home from a scramble than ensues from the resulting corner.

NORWICH BOOKING

Garrido is cautioned for a callous body-check on Wright-Phillips. He can have no complaints, even Grant Holt is not moaning about that one.

WARNING FOR HOLT

Holt gets a ticking-off from referee Moss for protesting an offside decision. Next time he's in the book.

ESCAPE FOR NORWICH

Wright-Phillips wins a cheap free-kick for a push in the back by Garrido. It's another set-piece opportunity and for once the delivery from Taarabt is top notch, but the ball goes across the face of goal with nobody able to apply the finishing touch.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Norwich get the second half underway.

HT: QPR 0 NORWICH 0

It's been a lively enough first half, but the lack of quality from both sides in the final third means that it's no great surprise we are waiting for our first goal. Rangers were quick out of the blocks and Adel Taarabt fired a long-range shot not far wide of the post. Norwich have got into some good positions, but despite putting in some threatening crosses, Holt and Snodgrass in particular have not troubled the goalkeeper as they might have done with headers. Wes Hoolahan also volleyed over from close range in the early going. For QPR's part, Shaun Wright-Phillips fired wide after doing the hard work and turning Javier Garrido superbly. The home side need to improve their delivery from set-pieces and start looking for the head of the man-mountain that is Christopher Samba. It badly needs a Peter Odemwingie or a Gary Hooper, this game. Sadly it has neither.

FINE DEFENDING FROM TURNER

Taarabt plays a ball into the feet of Mackie, but Turner does very well to prevent the QPR man from turning and getting his shot away.

TURNER IN NEED OF TREATMENT

Norwich waste the free-kick for that Mbia foul, Snodgrass curling a dreadful effort wide of the post. Michael Turner is off the pitch at the moment getting a bloodied nose cleaned up.

QPR BOOKING

Mbia hauls back Bennett and is cautioned for persistent fouling by Mr Moss.

POOR FINISH FROM SWP

Wright-Phillips does superbly to take down a delightful first-time ball from Taarabt and turn Garrido, before scuffing his shot disappointingly wide. That is the career of SWP in a five-second nutshell.

LOOKING FOR A LIFT

There's not quite been the dramatic turnaround in QPR's fortunes we might have expected since Harry Redknapp took charge. They have won two, lost three and drawn six under the man some know as Harry Houdini.

HEADER EASY FOR CESAR

Garrido crosses again from the left and Holt escapes the clutches of Hill to head goalwards. Again the effort lacks the venom or the direction to trouble Julio Cesar.

TAME HEADER BY SNODGRASS

Norwich win a skirmish high up the pitch and Hoolahan picks out a fine cross for Snodgrass. The Scot is unmarked, but his header from eight yards out is tame and straight at Cesar.

NOT A GOOD START

Bennett's first contribution is not a good one. He overhits a cross by some distance with Holt unmarked in the centre begging for the ball.

NORWICH SUBSTITUTION

Pilkington has been unable to run off that earlier injury and he makes way for Elliott Bennett.

WIDE FROM SNODGRASS

Garrido crosses from the left and Snodgrass, under intense pressure from Samba, heads well wide of goal.

REFEREE IN LENIENT MOOD

Stephane Mbia is lucky not to collect a yellow card for grabbing Bradley Johnson round the waist. The Six Nations starts this weekend, don't forget.

PLENTY TO PLAY FOR

If QPR avoid defeat today it will their longest unbeaten run in the top flight since going six unbeaten from February to March 1995.

REMY INJURED IN TRAINING

If you were wondering what had happened to Loic Remy, Harry's not gone off him already, the Frenchman has been ruled out with a groin strain.

WASTED SET-PIECES

You buy a £12.5 million defender, a real force in the air. Then you mis-hit your first corner all along the ground and your first free-kick straight into the arms of the goalkeeper. Disappointing from QPR.

INJURY CONCERN

Anthony Pilkington is in some discomfort trying to run off a muscular injury he appears to have suffered to his left leg.

NOW MACKIE THREATENS

Taarabt pulls the strings again. He supplies Mackie with a pass inside the area and the Rangers frontman twists and fires a shot across the face of goal.

HOW THEY LINE UP

If you were wondering how Rangers are lining up, Mackie is certainly the centre-forward. Taarabt is in a more deep-lying role, looking to collect the ball around the centre-circle and provide the link from midfield.

NOT TOO FAR AWAY

Rangers attack with purpose. Garrido loses out to Taarabt in the tackle and the Moroccan fires an angled drive not far wide from 25 yards. That was a good effort.

TOWNSEND LOOKING LIVELY

Townsend shows some early promise, outpacing his man down the left and crossing into the centre. It would have been perfect for Samba, but is a couple of feet over the head of Wright-Phillips.

IN NEED OF A GOAL

Grant Holt has only scored one goal in his last 16 league and cup appearances. Is it any wonder Chris Hughton made 23 unsuccessful bids (slight exaggeration) for Celtic's Gary Hooper on transfer deadline day?

BAD MISS BY HOOLAHAN

Norwich spurn a glorious chance. Snodgrass skins Traore down the right and his cross to the near post is hooked over the bar by Hoolahan from only six yards.

LEADING FROM THE BACK

Christopher Samba is certainly a leader of men. He has been round the whole Rangers line-up before kick-off, imploring them for a big performance.

WELL WIDE FROM TAARABT

QPR have the first shot at goal. Taarabt collects the ball 25 yards out, but his drive is well wide of the target.

HERE WE GO

QPR kick off, attacking the goal to our left.

TODAY'S TEAMS

QPR: Julio Cesar, Da Silva, Samba, Hill, Traore, Wright-Phillips, Mbia, Derry, Townsend, Taarabt, Mackie. Subs: Green, Park, Granero, Jenas, Ben Haim, Zamora, Bothroyd. Norwich: Bunn, Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Snodgrass, Tettey, Johnson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Holt. Subs: Camp, Whittaker, Howson, Jackson, Elliott Bennett, Becchio, Barnett. Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)

TEAM NEWS

QPR give debuts to Christopher Samba and Andros Townsend, while Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jamie Mackie return to the starting line-up. Making way are Nelsen, Onuoha, Granero and Remy. Norwich are unchanged from the side that drew with Tottenham, which means Luciano Becchio has to be satisfied with a place on the bench.

PREVIEW

Harry Redknapp and Chris Hughton will have some shiny new toys to play with when Queens Park Rangers welcome Norwich City to Loftus Road for Saturday's early kick-off in the Premier League. Both sides were active on the final day of the January transfer window with Rangers in particular making a splash. The addition of Christopher Samba was one of the major moves by any Premier League club on Thursday and represents a calculated gamble should they go down with the former Blackburn man inked to a long-term big money contract. QPR have certainly become more difficult to beat since the arrival of Harry Redknapp, a fact underlined by their goalless draw with Manchester City on Tuesday. But games are running out and they now need to start winning, particularly when the likes of an out-of-sorts Norwich side who have been struggling for results themselves come calling. “We've been in great form and had a great result in midweek,” Redknapp told the official QPR website. “The players have worked their socks off in recent games and you can't ask for more than that. We've given ourselves a chance. We're still a little bit adrift but one or two wins can change that. It's going to be hard but I still believe we can do it.” Today's game kicks off at 1245GMT, so join us around 30 minutes beforehand when we should have the confirmed team news, which will be followed by a match commentary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QPR target Peter Odemwingie is so unpredictable he might even turn up at Loftus Road with his boots today hoping to get a game. But while his contract is still owned by West Bromwich Albion even the opportunistic Harry Redknapp is unlikely to accept the offer of help. The Nigerian's inability to engineer a move has to be of benefit to Adel Taarabt, who is a player with similar qualities: mesmerising on his day but infuriatingly ineffective on others. Rangers scored a total of three goals in the two games they have won this season and the Moroccan scored two of those goals and assisted on the other. It Taarabt was to hit a hot streak it would give Rangers just the impetus they need to mount a push for survival. QPR's form player of the past couple of months has actually been goalkeeper Julio Cesar. The Brazilian looked a liability at times earlier on in the season, but latterly has pulled off some blinding saves. Luciano Becchio may start on the bench for Norwich, but the man with 19 goals to his name surely has to figure at some stage today, particularly for a side that has scored more than a single goal just once in their last nine outings in the Premier League. The Canaries' most creative force if statistics are to be believed is Robert Snodgrass, who has four assists to his name, but only one in the last six outings.

HEAD TO HEAD

Norwich have the better head-to-head record in league meetings between the sides with 45 wins to 36 by QPR and 32 games being drawn. At Loftus Road, Rangers have 28 wins to 12 by Norwich, with a further 16 meetings ending up all square. The corresponding match last season on Jan. 2 finished in a 2-1 win for the Canaries. Joey Barton had an eventful first half, giving his side the lead on 11 minutes and heading down the tunnel for an early bath 25 minutes later after being dismissed. Anthony Pilkington levelled for the visitors just before the break and Steve Morison grabbed the winner seven minutes from time. Honours finished even in the first meeting between the sides this season at Carrow Road on Aug. 25. Simeon Jackson put Norwich in front on 11 minutes, but Bobby Zamora levelled eight minutes later. Norwich are unbeaten in six meetings with Rangers, winning four and drawing two. The last QPR win was a 1-0 triumph at Carrow Road on Sep 17. 2008 in the Championship, the visitors managing the victory despite playing 65 minute with ten men after the early sending off Matthew Connolly. The last Rangers win at home was by a similar scoreline in the Championship the previous season. QPR have failed to score more than one goal in any of the last ten meeting between the sides.

FORM GUIDE

QPR are bottom of the table, with 16 points from 24 matches. Norwich are 14th with 27 points, seven clear of the relegation zone. Rangers have won just one of 12 games at home and are the lowest scorers in front of their own fans in the division, with eight goals. They will take some solace from the fact that the Canaries have only won one game on their travels and that only one club – Southampton – have leaked more goals away from home then the Norfolk side. QPR are unbeaten in four, but three of those games have been draws. Norwich have not won since beating Wigan on Dec. 15, a run of two draws and five defeats.

EARLY TEAM NEWS

New signing Christopher Samba will start for Rangers with Ryan Nelsen having played his last game for the club, though the best the other new recruits Jermaine Jenas and Andros Townsend likely can hope for is a place on the bench. Another new signing, Yun Suk-young, is unlikely to feature. Junior Hoilett is recovered from a hamstring problem but Jamie Mackie is a doubt because he has been suffering from tonsillitis. Chris Hughton may be tempted to hand a full debut to Luciano Becchio, but his other deadline day signing - Sierra Leone forward Kei Kamara - is still awaiting international clearance on his loan move from Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. Defender Steven Whittaker (hip) is fit again, but John Ruddy (thigh) is still out and Tottenham have recalled striker Harry Kane.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Taking charge of today's game is Jon Moss, who was appointed to the select group of referees in June 2011. Born in Sunderland, but now living in Leeds, Moss has shown 31 yellow cards in the 12 top-flight matches he has officiated this season. He was heavily criticised by Everton manager David Moyes over his decision to send off Steven Pienaar at Queens Park Rangers, the only red card he has produced this season. Moyes, to the point as ever, called it a “rubbish decision”. Last weekend Moss was the match official for that thrilling FA Cup fourth-round tie between Brentford and Chelsea at Griffin Park. His assistants today are John Flynn and Mark Scholes, while Neil Swarbrick is the fourth official.