Queens Park Rangers will be looking to rediscover their season-defining home form when they welcome Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Hoops' 2-1 defeat at Burnley last weekend was a Premier League record 10th successive away loss since the start of the season and left them 19th in the table.
Only five home wins – more than Liverpool and as many as Tottenham Hotspur – keep them off the foot of the table ahead of their clash with a Red Devils team whom they have never beaten in the Premier League.
However, even their results at Loftus Road suffered over the New Year as they were held to draws by Crystal Palace and Swansea City and comprehensively dumped out of the FA Cup by third-tier Sheffield United.
Reports have suggested that another defeat on their own patch this weekend could see manager Harry Redknapp axed. The 67-year-old is the bookies' favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked.
United were beaten at home themselves in their last outing as Southampton impressively foiled them at Old Trafford to leapfrog them into third and end their 11-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
A fit Radamel Falcao was left out of the squad for the 1-0 loss, but the Colombian striker has dismissed rumours that he has fallen out with Louis van Gaal and left the stadium before the end of Sunday's game.
Nevertheless, there are growing doubts over whether United will move to keep the on-loan Monaco star, who has three goals in 13 games this season, in Manchester permanently come the summer.
Falcao, who would cost around £40m, is likely to be given another chance to prove his long-term worth to the Red Devils against QPR, with Robin van Persie unlikely to feature due to an ankle injury.
Either Wayne Rooney or Angel di Maria will play in the hole behind Falcao, with the other the most attacking element of a three-man midfield which could include Marouane Fellaini at the expense of Juan Mata.
Fellaini is one of a number of players who have recently returned to put United's squad in possibly its healthiest state of the season, but Ashley Young is definitely missing for the visitors and neither Marcos Rojo nor Rafael are likely to play.
Rangers have a couple of their own first-team regulars back in training, but this game will come too early for Sandro and Yun Suk-young, while Rio Ferdinand is also carrying a knock and will not face his former club.
United's defence is far more vulnerable than it was during the Ferdinand days and so Redknapp may try to exploit this weakness by partnering Charlie Austin with Bobby Zamora in an attacking 4-4-2 system.
This would probably condemn playmakers Adel Taarabt, recalled from the wilderness against Burnley, and Mauro Zarate, still waiting for a start since arriving on loan from West Ham United, to the bench.
QPR:
Form in Premier League: LWLDDL
Form in all competitions: WLDDLL
Possible starting lineup: Green; Isla, Caulker, Dunne, Hill; Vargas, Barton, Henry, Fer; Zamora, Austin
Man United:
Form in Premier League: WDWDDL
Form in all competitions: DWDDWL
Possible starting lineup: De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Blind; Valencia, Carrick, Fellaini, Di Maria, Shaw; Rooney, Falcao
Sports Mole says: 1-2
Joe Fish
