Beware the banana skin

There's no doubting that QPR will offer a real test to O'Neill's men, even more so should the Villa boss decide to shuffle the pack and bring some of his younger fringe players through.

Under the financial guardianship of Flavio Briatore, the Loftus Road club have stopped the rot and given themselves a real chance of returning to the top flight - somewhere they haven't been since the 1995/96 season.

Briatore's financial clout, combined with the management skills of Iain Dowie have given Rangers fans real hope once more.

The recipe at QPR has been simple - add cluster of upper level Championship talent such as Martin Rowlands, Kaspars Gorkss and Dexter Blackstock, to ex-Premier League hopefuls such as Fitz Hall, Lee Cook and Peter Ramage and then for spice throw in some continental flair in the shape of Real Madrid loanee Daniel Parejo and Fiorentina property Samuel di Carmine.

How well chef Dowie manages to bake in all his flavours remains to be seen, but glancing through the oven door the early signs look good with the club sitting fourth in the Championship race.

Villa fans will be hoping that Rangers will be able to concentrate on their main course of promotion for the rest of the season, rather than licking their lips and serving up a slice of Cup upset for dessert.