Queens Park Rangers boss Mick Beale explains why Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird didn’t feature in his side’s defeat to Luton Town.
The in-form 21-year-old missed Saturday’s 3-1 Championship defeat to The Hatters at Kenilworth Road.
Laird came off against Reading last Friday after 26 minutes after he felt some tightness versus Paul Ince’s Royals side.
Prior to Saturday’s defeat to Nathan Jones’ Luton, Laird had started the last ten Championship games and had contributed one goal and two assists from those matches.
Prior to the loss at Luton, Beale’s side had picked up 13 points from their last five games.
Beale explains why Ethan Laird didn’t feature in Luton defeat
On the eve of Saturday’s trip to Bedfordshire, Beale provided an update on the attack-minded pacey full-back, who is once again impressing in the second tier of English football.
Beale told the club’s website: “Ethan Laird is touch-and-go, we need to use him wisely. He felt some tightness against Reading last Friday.
“He’ll be available for all three games this week, it’s just up to me which games I select him in. We’ve got to make sure we get the decision-making right with the staff.”
QPR have back-to-back home games with Cardiff City coming to Loftus Road on Wednesday before Beale’s men host Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Treading on the side of caution with Laird’s return is probably the sensible move by Beale.
During the first half of last season, while on loan at Swansea City, Laird picked up a muscle injury for the Welsh side in December.
Despite joining Bournemouth on loan for the remainder of the campaign the following month, Laird struggled to reach optimum fitness with the Cherries, and he barely featured during their promotion run in.
Beale and QPR’s medical department will be well aware of the issues Laird had last season, and they’ll no doubt be keen to do all they can to avoid the Manchester United Academy graduate’s body breaking down.
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