QPR handed fresh double boost ahead of Millwall clash - Julien Stephan will be buzzing | OneFootball

The R's have received pleasing news on the injury front ahead of their upcoming London derby

Queens Park Rangers have started the season in extremely positive fashion, and such feelings will have only increased tenfold following a double injury boost coming the way of Julien Stephan ahead of Saturday's clash with Millwall.

Local publication, West London Sport, have revealed that the creative duo of Ilias Chair and Kwame Poku have both recovered from their respective injury setbacks over the course of the two-week October international break, and could be welcomed back into the squad as the Frenchman's side look to extend an impressive unbeaten run against their London rivals.

Rangers currently find themselves inside the Championship play-off places on 15 points, emerging victorious in four of their nine encounters - all of which came in response to a 7-1 battering they were on the receiving end of against free-scoring and unbeaten league leaders, Coventry City on August 23rd.

Stephan's side have earned plenty of praise in recent weeks for their attacking dominance that has been fronted by the likes of Koki Saito, Richard Kone and Harvey Vale among others, as they have found the net 13 times across the opening two months of league action, with only five sides being more potent in front of goal on a collective basis.

As such, it has begged the question as to what Stephan's side can achieve, potentially - against all odds - for the remainder of the season when two players, who are expected to be among the most influential at Loftus Road, return from spells on the treatment table.

However, Hoops fans could find such fortunes out as early as this weekend, according to the aforementioned report.

Poku was one of 11 players to come through the door in an extremely active summer window in W12, with Rangers able to land what was viewed as a major coup by paying an initial fee of just £900,000 in compensation to his former side, Peterborough United.

The Ghanaian winger accumulated 12 goals and eight assists for the Cambridgeshire outfit last season despite suffering an extensive hamstring injury, and he suffered another unfortunate injury layoff just weeks into his spell in the capital after marking his debut with a 67-minute runout against Preston North End on the opening day of the season.

Similarly, Chair also suffered injury woes last term, but was still able to contribute two goals and six assists in 28 league appearances under Marti Cifuentes.

The Moroccan, who has stayed loyal to the Hoops despite previous transfer interest, played the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw with the Lilywhites and the following 2-1 defeat at Watford on August 16th, before it was revealed that he'd suffered a back issue prior to the aforementioned heavy defeat at the CBS Arena.

Both players had stepped up their recovery over the international break in a bid to return to action against Alex Neil's side, and those circumstances could transpire, as it is understood the duo will be assessed on Friday alongside summer loanee, Rhys Norrington-Davies, who was absent from the 2-1 win at Bristol City on October 4th.

Unsurprisingly, though, Stephan kept his cards close to his chest when discussing the potential minutes the trio may receive against the Lions.

“They (Chair and Poku) are available but available doesn’t (necessarily) mean they are ready to play, so we need to see what is best for the player – for this game and the other game next week – but they did a full session today, he stated.

“He (Norrington-Davies) didn’t do a full session today, but part of the session,” Stephan explained.

“He should be able to do a full session on Friday, so we will see on Friday and we will decide for him.”

Queens Park Rangers will hope key trio return against Millwall

It's not a surprise to see Stephan playing down the chances of involvement in the lead-up to such a crucial fixture, but he and Rangers supporters will certainly be delighted to see the trio back on the grass at a bare minimum.

In truth, there is no guarantee that either Chair or Poku would start the game even at full fitness, such is the impressive form that the likes of Saito and Vale have been in when providing support for the in-form Kone.

However, this speaks volumes about how impressive the club's transfer strategy has been in comparison to many divisional rivals, and it could lead to an unexpected play-off spot if such consistency can largely be maintained for the remaining 37 games of the regular season.