Just twelve months ago these two sides were battling it out at the top of the Championship table alongside Burnley - all of whom were promoted to the Premier League last season. It has been a tough start from all three sides, and even this early in the season, as QPR prepare to host Leicester City at Loftus Road on Saturday, this feels like an important game.

"It's very close at the bottom still, so it is all to play for"

- Harry Redknapp

Despite impressing with their form in recent weeks, QPR have fallen to the foot of the Premier League table once again after Burnley managed to pick up six points with recent victories. For QPR boss Harry Redknapp, although the feeling around Loftus Road is a positive one, and he knows his side is playing well, the Englishman is also way of the need for results. He had this to say on the relegation battle: "It’s very close at the bottom still, Burnley had two great results, and two wins, so it’s lifted them," he said. "There are still seven or eight teams who are going to be down there, so it is all to play for. It will be all the same teams scrapping for places down at the bottom, but we’re ok. I feel like we’re playing well, we just need a result now."

It seems a little early on in the season to be discussing relegation 'six-pointers', but after collecting just eight points from 12 games, Redknapp's side are already struggling. With just one win in their last nine league fixtures, even good performances against Manchester City and Chelsea cannot be a substitute for actual points on the board. QPR fans will be encouraged by their side's improvement of late, but will know that a valuable three points against Leicester this weekend will do more for their team's cause.

"We're going to have to play well, I'm sure they will have a healthy respect for us"

- Nigel Pearson

The history books make positive reading and Leicester fans will have fond memories over their Championship league double over QPR last season. Boss Nigel Pearson knows, however, that it means nothing when the teams meet on Saturday: “I don’t like to dwell on that kind of thing because when you come up against sides that you’ve not done too well against in the past. We’re going to have to play well. I’m sure they will have a healthy respect for us as well. It is important that we go there with the right intentions and I’m sure that’s what we’ll do," he said. Continuing, he spoke about the sluggish start for the newly promoted sides, but insisted they remain optimistic: “When you look at the table the three promoted sides have not had an easy baptism. But we are in there fighting and we are all confident in the squads of players we have.”

For Leicester boss Pearson, things have gone rapidly downhill since that dramatic 5-3 victory over Manchester United in September. His side have not won a single game since that fantastic win over Louis van Gaal's side, and have just 10 points from their opening 12 games. It leaves Leicester just inside the relegation zone and Pearson's side will be low on confidence after a dismal string of results.

Redknapp has received a boost this week with the return of Eduardo Vargas who missed last week's defeat to Newcastle due the birth of his daughter. The QPR boss will also be hoping that Rio Ferdinand will be fit enough in time to play on Saturday in order to replace the suspended Richard Dunne.

Aside from a couple of minor injuries - midfielder Dean Hammond absent due to a calf injury, and Matthew Upson still sidelined - Pearson has a fully-fit squad to choose from as his Leicester side travel to Loftus Road in Saturday's key Premier League clash.