QPR and Marti Cifuentes set for big boost ahead of West Brom | OneFootball

QPR may be out of the play-off race, but supporters will be glad to see the return of Karamoko Dembele.

Queens Park Rangers' season has taken a blow in recent weeks with defeats to Sheffield United and Portsmouth taking them out of the play-off picture.

Just a few games ago, the Hoops were emerging as potential top-six contenders, with a run of 10 wins in 17 games making them many people's dark horses.

At the start of the season, they endured a dismal run of form, with just one win in their opening 16 games leaving them rooted to the foot of the table.

While Marti Cifuentes deserves credit for orchestrating an impressive turnaround, the Spaniard will no doubt be frustrated by two avoidable defeats that could prove costly to their play-off ambitions.

They now sit eight points adrift of sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion, and with the finish line in sight, it would take a remarkable run of form to bridge that gap.

Nevertheless, R’s supporters still have plenty to look forward to and will receive another major boost on Saturday, as they hope to see the returning Karamoko Dembélé gain more minutes after his timely return in recent games.

Karamoko Dembélé return can lift QPR mood

Despite their dreadful start to the season, the early weeks of the campaign held promise, largely due to Dembélé’s performances.

The 22-year-old was the Hoops' creator-in-chief, but found himself injured in late October after a game against Coventry City. This knee issue required surgery and in mid-November he completed his operation with the expectation being that he would be out for three months.

Dembélé made his return against Portsmouth, featuring for three minutes, before building on that against the Blades, where Cifuentes handed him a further eight minutes on the pitch.

Now entering another week into his recovery, the Lambeth-born attacker could be in line for a full return against West Brom on Saturday.

This would be a massive boost to not only the squad but supporters who go to games to watch magical players of Dembélé's ilk. During his youth, he was dubbed the 'next Lionel Messi' and while he hasn't lived up to that hype, he is a magically creative force when receiving the ball at his feet.

If he can quickly recapture his best form, QPR’s play-off dreams may not be over just yet. With no team truly taking command of the race, a late surge - powered by their number seven's magic - could still keep their hopes alive.

While Dembélé was initially signed on loan from Brest in the summer, it didn’t take long for the Hoops to secure his services permanently, with the deal being finalised in late September for next summer.

The next 11 games will feel something like a pre-season for him, as he looks to rediscover the form that had QPR supporters so excited.

In his 780 minutes of league action, he has contributed one goal and three assists. Beyond that, his underlying statistics are exceptional, with the dynamic winger creating 2.31 chances per 90 minutes, completing 1.50 successful crosses, and drawing 2.66 fouls per match, according to FotMob.

This is something that we should see more of next season and if the Hoops have a more clinical frontline, Dembélé's numbers could potentially be off the chart.