Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. Swansea City

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 17 August 2012

Michael Laudrup begins life as Swansea City boss with a trip to Loftus Road to take on an ambitious QPR side managed by Mark Hughes.

Michael Laudrup takes charge of Swansea City for the first time when they travel to Queens Park Rangers in their opening fixture of the new season.

The Swans will have to adapt to life without former manager Brendan Rodgers and midfielder Joe Allen, both of whom moved to Liverpool after impressive debut campaigns in the top flight.

Laudrup has dipped into the La Liga talent pool in a bid to prevent City suffering from 'second-season syndrome', with playmaker Michu and winger Jonathan de Guzman among the summer arrivals.

Mark Hughes has been one of the busiest Premier League managers in the transfer market, bringing in no fewer than seven players.

Former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung will start in midfield, and may be named captain for the Hoops, while his old Red Devils teammate Fabio da Silva may start having joined Rangers on loan.

Junior Hoilett, Samba Diakate and goalkeeper Robert Green are also in contention to start at Loftus Road as QPR attempt to improve on their 17th-place finish from 2011-2012.

Joey Barton will be unavailable as he begins serving a 12-match suspension for his antics during the dramatic final day of last season.

Possible lineups:

QPR: Green; Young, Onohua, Ferdinand, Da Silva; Wright-Phillips, Diakate, Faurlin, Park; Taarabt; Cisse

Swansea: Vorm; Rangel, Williams, Chico, Taylor; Agustien, Britton, Michu, Dyer, Sinclair, Graham

Sports Mole says: 2-0