Queens Park Rangers (QPR) head coach Martí Cifuentes has spoken to the media ahead of his side’s trip to Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The Hoops lost in their opening game of the season, in a 3-1 home defeat against West Brom, but an EFL Cup victory away to Cambridge United will provide confidence ahead of this tie.
Sheffield United have started the season very much as they mean to go on, with two wins and six goals across the league and cup - making them frightening opponents to come up against.
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Expectations of the game
Cifuentes was asked about his expectations for Saturday's game, and did not shy away from the challenge at hand:
"We have a new challenge against a team that, as you said, was a Premier League team a few months ago. They have a [high] quality squad with a lot of players with experience in the Premier League, and that will be a massive challenge for us.
"We need to improve. We need to do better than what we have done so far in the last two games if we want to get something from that game."
Although the Blades have won their two opening games, and look a considerable threat, they have not yet managed to reach the momentum that they may well enjoy later in the season.
But, despite this, Cifuentes insisted that facing them early in the season is not necessarily a benefit:
"I'm always very confident about my team's possibilities, but if you ask me if it's a better moment to face whoever it is in the league, I always say that the calendar is what it is. So [is it a] better moment? No, no. It's a very good team that is starting the season in a good way. They won yesterday scoring four goals.
"[...] They had a strong game against Preston. They had, I would say, a quite under-control game, scoring on the goal chances. So, at the moment it is what it is, and then we're gonna try to do our best to take the three points."
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Team news
In a blow for the Hoops, Cifuentes confirmed that he will continue to be without Ilias Chair, while Morgan Fox remains a doubt, as both are still contending with injuries.
Ilias Chair
On Chair, Cifuentes provided more clarity on the specifics of his injury:
"[With] Ilias, he had, I think I explained already, but the nature of the injury is a bone bruise in his lower back. We are assessing this almost every day. I think tomorrow will be an important day in terms of the medical staff making some tests.
"And then tomorrow, I will get more news, but it's a bone bruise in his lower back that the only treatment that we could take was to get him a bit out of the pitch and go day by day."
When pushed for a time frame for his return, Cifuentes shared a vague though optimistic response:
"I'm not a doctor. That's my problem. But no, I cannot give you an accurate answer on that. It might be sooner than what you might be thinking."
Finally, on the Moroccan, Cifuentes was asked whether his injury could be key in retaining him at the club for next season, to which he responded:
"I think he's a very important player for us, and we want him to stay. He knows that, and I'm sure that he will stay here."
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New signings
During the week, the club confirmed the arrivals of Karamoko Dembele and Koki Saito on season-long loans.
Cifuentes was very positive when asked about their arrivals:
"They have the qualities that we were looking for. I think that both of them, both Kari [Karamoko] and Koki, they have good quality one-on-one. They have proven to create goal chances in their short careers because they are young players, but they are doing well in different contexts.
"And, yeah, I'm happy to add players who, as well, can develop because they are in an age where, obviously, hopefully, they can not only contribute to our performances, but we can help them to grow as players."
