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Paul Parker raises Loftus Road pitch concerns for Manchester United

Parker raises Loftus Road pitch concerns
© PA Photos
Former Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United defender Paul Parker believes that the Loftus Road pitch will make Saturday's match between the two teams more even.

Former Manchester United full-back Paul Parker has admitted that the club's current players may struggle to break Queens Park Rangers down at the weekend.

The Red Devils head into the match in West London top of the Premier League table, while hosting QPR sit bottom.

However, Parker, who spent five years with United up until 1996, believes that the size of the pitch at Loftus Road will act as a leveller.

"It's very tough at QPR as it's a small ground and it helps them," the 48-year-old told Man United's official website. "I tell you why they keep so many clean sheets there - it's because if a team's great strength is out wide then it kills them.

"It's why wingers have always struggled at QPR. The only player with any width who did well in my time there was Andy Sinton but that's because he had other things about him rather than staying on the touchline. It's a very narrow pitch. It's as simple as that and it's very easy to defend there."

Having begun his career with Fulham, Parker moved to QPR before joining United.

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QPR manager Harry Redknapp during the match against Liverpool on December 30, 2012
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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