Bolton Wanderers vs Swansea City preview - We can decide our own fate - Hughes

Posted Saturday, April 21, 2012 by PA

QPR boss Mark Hughes believes the club's Barclays Premier League survival is in their own hands and reckons he would rather have points already secured than games in hand.

Hughes' side are currently 17th in the table and two points clear of Bolton, who have played two games less.

Even though wins in those games would see Bolton overhaul QPR Hughes is happy to be in the position of having already earned points and feels securing their top flight status is theirs to decide.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of Tottenham, Hughes said: "We feel it is up to us, we have difficult games but it is important that we maximise the opportunities that we have ahead of us.

"We have four difficult games and we make no bones about it - it is not going to be easy but we are playing well, especially at home, and we feel we can pick up enough points.

"At this stage of the season my preference would be to have points on the board so if we can get points at the weekend and put pressure on the teams in and around us that haven't accumulated as many points as us at this point - I think that more advisable and more comfortable then having games in hand."

Djibril Cisse back returns from a four-match suspension. His timely return means Hughes has a full quota of strikers to choose from as he looks to continue a decent run of home form and keep QPR out of the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Harry Redknapp hopes Chelsea win the Champions League this season even though he knows such a scenario could crush Tottenham's dreams of qualifying for the competition next year.

Chelsea head to the Nou Camp for the second leg of their semi-final with a 1-0 advantage thanks to Didier Drogba's strike at Stamford Bridge.

Barca are still favourites to progress because of their incredible home record - they have not lost at the Nou Camp since September 2010 - but Redknapp thinks the west London club stand a good chance of making the final. Should Chelsea win the competition only three, rather than the customary four, teams will qualify for the Champions League via the Barclays Premier League.

With Spurs sitting fourth in the table, Redknapp would be forgiven for attending Tuesday's game wearing a Barca shirt and waving a huge blue and red flag in support of the defending European champions - but surprisingly, he wants Chelsea to win.

"I'll be rooting for Chelsea," Redknapp said. "I haven't even thought about [missing out if Chelsea win the competition]. If Chelsea stay in it they've got a Champions League final to prepare for, and then they've got a lot on their plate haven't they? I want to see an English team win it anyway and I think they can do it."

Younes Kaboul and Niko Kranjcar will miss out with knee injuries.

Redknapp says he has "four or five" injury concerns but refused to reveal which other players are doubts.

Ledley King's chronic knee problems always require him to have a fitness test the day before every game while long-term ankle injury victims Tom Huddlestone and Michael Dawson are definitely out.