QPR striker Bobby Zamora key to survival bid, says Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp believes Bobby Zamora will be crucial to Queens Park Rangers’ hopes of survival – if the Hoops striker can stay match-fit.

The 32-year-old is continuing his return from a hip injury which kept the England international sidelined for most of November, December and January.

Zamora was a second-half substitute in QPR’s recent fixtures against Norwich and Swansea City, scoring a consolation strike in a 4-1 loss at the Liberty Stadium.

With Loic Remy still out of action due to a niggling groin problem and Andy Johnson unlikely to feature again this season, Redknapp is hoping Zamora can manage his hip injury.

“Bobby might need an operation at the end of the year. The aim is to keep him going for the last 12 games of the season because he’s that important to us,” said Redknapp.

“The longer we can get out of Bobby the better. We’re hoping to get more than half a game out of him. It’s up to the medical team to push him on for longer if we can.”

Such is the gulf between Manchester United and QPR, Redknapp could be forgiven for discounting his side’s chances on Saturday and focusing on more “winnable” fixtures against Southampton, Sunderland and Aston Villa in March.

But the 65-year-old says the form book goes out the window due to the unpredictable Premier League – as highlighted by QPR’s win at Chelsea – and the Hoops cannot bank on beating their fellow strugglers next month.

“We went to Chelsea after playing terrible against Liverpool. We didn’t see that as a winnable fixture,” added Redknapp.

“We played Tottenham and Manchester City which were games where people would expect us to be beaten, then we play Norwich at home, and you’d think we’ve got a great chance of winning there, but we don’t.

“I think it’s impossible to pick football results otherwise we’d all be winning the pools every week.”