Chelsea can still win to nil against QPR even without Cech

Having lost on each of their last eight visits to Stamford Bridge, an away fixture with Chelsea is the last thing QPR need at this moment and another defeat looks on the cards for Harry Redknapp.

After a decent start to life in the QPR hotseat, Redknapp has watched his team lose three on the bounce, the latest being a tame reverse at home to Liverpool.

Chelsea are bang in form having won four in succession and 2/9 is the price that they claim another three points to continue their pursuit of Manchester United and Manchester City.

This is actually a reasonable price given recent form, but 10/11 may be even better that Chelsea land the spoils with a clean sheet.

Chelsea have shut out the opposition in four of their last six Premier League fixtures, while QPR have failed to score in two of their last three.

Furthermore, QPR have only found the target in two of their last eight visits to Stamford Bridge.

The only negative towards this bet is that Chelsea will be missing goalkeeper Petr Cech to a groin injury, although Ross Turnbull deputised efficiently when brought on against Everton.

There is also the temptation to side with Chelsea in the handicap markets, with 29/20 quoted for the Blues to prevail even when conceding a two-goal head start.

After all QPR have only started 13 players across the Xmas period to date and so Redknapp may play a weakened team to allow some of his first teamers a rest, with bigger clashes on the horizon.

But punters should be warned as Manchester City made extremely hard work of beating Reading in a similar looking fixture to this one on paper recently.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date