Noble fitness race hopes

Hopes are reasonably high that Mark Noble will win his fitness race for the match against Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.

The player’s injury – picked up in training ahead of the Manchester United match – was being looked at today..

Noble has a shin/calf injury and will need to prove his fitness before the weekend game against former boss Harry Redknapp’s outfit at the Boleyn.

Although sources were guarding against over-optimistic assessments ClaretandHugh was told: “It’s possible he’ll make the QPR match but we will know more by tomorrow or Wednesday.”

The well regarded website www.physioroom.com is not placing a return date on the midfielder at this stage as is the case with Joey O’Brien.

The site puts an October 5 return date on Matt Jarvis and says that Cheikhou Kouyate will be back on November 8 and Andy Carroll on November 14.