Preview: Burnley vs. Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers visit Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday hoping that 2015 will bring them better fortune on their travels.

The Hoops have lost all nine of their top-flight away games this season and remain the only team in the country without a point on the road.

Things did not go too well for Harry Redknapp's men at home over the holidays either, with Crystal Palace holding them to a stalemate and Wilfried Bony rescuing Swansea City a late New Year's Day point.

It was also at Loftus Road where Rangers were dumped out of the FA Cup at the hands of League One giant-killers Sheffield United last weekend, with Redknapp admitting after the game that the festive fixture list had proven too strenuous for his squad.

Meanwhile, Clarets manager Sean Dyche named the same lineup for five successive matches over Christmas, and his charges still had the strength to come from behind at Manchester City and Newcastle United.

In fact, Burnley have equalised five times in the process of drawing their last three matches - including a third-round FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur in which Sam Vokes scored on his first start in 10 months.

Had QPR shown the same character on their away days, they may sit more comfortably than 16th position, two points clear of the relegation zone and 19th-placed Burnley, ahead of their trip to Turf Moor.

Former Burnley striker Charlie Austin, who scored before being sent off in the reverse fixture which Rangers won 2-0 in December, is one of only four players likely to be retained from the 3-0 defeat to the Blades.

Steven Caulker, Karl Henry and Leroy Fer are also expected to keep their places. Robert Green will return in goal, with Clint Hill again likely to be the preferred option at left-back with Yun Suk-young still injured.

Chilean stars Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas will also be back in the lineup, along with Joey Barton, Richard Dunne and Bobby Zamora, who has helped England hopeful Austin to 12 league goals this term.

Mauro Zarate should be among the substitutes after completing a loan switch from West Ham United. Redknapp has admitted that any other January additions for the Hoops would have to be more loans.

Dyche will be have been delighted to see Vokes back on the scoresheet after his long layoff with a knee ligament injury, but he is unlikely to start the Wales international striker twice in the space of five days.

The in-form Ashley Barnes is a more than suitable replacement to partner Danny Ings, who is apparently attracting interest from Leicester City and Tottenham as his contract winds down, up front.

Burnley realise that cashing in on their top scorer would damage their survival bid and are instead looking to add to their squad this month, with loanee Michael Keane having joined permanently from Manchester United.

With Jason Shackell, Michael Duff and Kevin Long still on an absentee list which also includes Matt Taylor and Stephen Ward, Keane will lead a defence which could contain Premier League debutant Daniel Lafferty at left-back.

The Clarets have won three and drawn one of their last four home matches against QPR in all competitions. They will climb out of the relegation zone and go above the Hoops with victory in Lancashire.

Burnley:

Form in Premier League: LWLLDD Form in all competitions: WLLDDD

Possible starting lineup: Heaton; Trippier, Keane, Mee, Lafferty; Arfield, Marney, Jones, Boyd; Barnes, Ings

QPR:

Form in Premier League: WLWLDD Form in all competitions: LWLDDL

Possible starting lineup: Green; Isla, Caulker, Dunne, Hill; Vargas, Barton, Henry, Fer; Zamora, Austin

Sports Mole says: 2-1