EFL confirm QPR vs Sheffield United referee decision

The officiating team for Sheffield United’s Championship clash against Queens Park Rangers has been confirmed, with Thomas Kirk to take charge of his first Blades game this season.

United will be desperate to enjoy an instant return to winning ways when they go to Loftus Road on Saturday, with the wounds of Monday’s 3-1 defeat to Leeds United still fresh. Chris Wilder’s side overran their promotion rivals for large parts but after going 1-0 up early on, found themselves pinned back before conceding three goals in the final 18 minutes.

QPR are also looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat, having lost 2-1 at in-form Portsmouth last Saturday. Marti Cifuentes’ side still have an outside shot of reaching the play-offs but they will need to string a serious run together, with eight places and seven points between them and Blackburn Rovers in sixth.

QPR vs United referee confirmed

Saturday’s meeting at Loftus Road will hand both an opportunity to rebuild momentum and ahead of the all-important clash, the EFL have confirmed Kirk’s appointment as referee. He will be assisted by Alex James and Sam Lewis with fourth official John Busby the man between both dugouts.

Kirk is predominantly a League One official, with just under half of his 21 games this season involving third-tier teams. The official has actually been in charge of more League Two matches than those in the Championship, for which he has been in the middle on just four occasions.

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With the caveat of a small sample size, Kirk blows for 23.25 fouls per game on average in the Championship, while brandishing 4.75 yellow cards per 90 minutes. Those numbers increase ever so slightly for League One games but are roughly the same, suggesting it is a clear reflection of his leniency.

QPR vs United team news

Chris Wilder is yet to speak with the media ahead of Saturday’s trip but will hope to have Gustavo Hamer back available from the start, following his return off the bench on Monday. The Blades boss was quizzed on his decision to bench talisman Hamer following that Yorkshire derby defeat, insisting the decision was taken along with advice from the medical team.

“I’m not daft,” said Wilder on Hamer’s situation. “He’s been our best player and if I felt it was right to play him, then I would have done. It wasn’t just me [that made the decision] - it was taken from a medical point of view with the conditioners and the physios. If we could, of I’d have tried to get him out there for 60 minutes. I’m not stupid.”

Hamer and Tom Cannon each got minutes off the bench and so should be okay to start at Loftus Road, if Wilder needs them to. Kieffer Moore also returned for the first time since New Year’s Day, albeit he played just one minute, thrown on after United fell behind.

QPR will hope to have winger Lucas Andersen available for Saturday’s visit of United, having not featured at all since the turn of the year, while Kader Dembele got his first minute since October last weekend. Koki Saito is a doubt after suffering a blow to the face against Portsmouth.