Jonny Williams and Sam Field – both scheduled to be involved at QPR on Saturday – have been ruled out until the New Year after suffering set backs on the training ground.

With the ESI takeover looking unlikely to be completed before Christmas, Lee Bowyer will have to soldier on with his depleted squad for a while yet.

Hopefully, the bug that swept Sparrows Lane has abated. Including youngsters Josh Davison, Alfie Doughty, Albie Morgan and James Vennings, Bowyer will have just 18 players to call on over the holiday period.

Lyle Taylor is now fit again, but Bowyer will have to be careful not to over play him. Taylor makes a huge difference to the team. Not only does he both create and score goals, but he is excellent defensively as well.

Set pieces are now Charlton’s Achilles heel‎, but Taylor has never let his man score since he arrived at The Valley.

Bowyer is well aware of Taylor’s all round qualities:

“He’s a big presence, a big character around the place.

“People look up to him, he has that aura, he knows how important he is, he likes it like that!

“When the other lads in training are seeing the same faces every day, to suddenly see Lyle, it’s a positive and it has a knock-on effect.

“Lyle coming back is very positive, he’s very good defensively for us on set pieces.

“One of the very few positives to come from the last few weeks regarding injuries,” said the boss.

Bowyer could send out this team at Loftus Road as the following:

Phillips; Matthews, Lockyer, Pearce, Sarr, Purrington; Gallagher, Pratley, Leko; Taylor, Bonne.

Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Solly,‎ Oshilaja, Morgan, Vennings, Doughty, Davison.

The Addicks have not won or kept a clean sheet for ten games now. Bur Rangers’ defence is every bit as porous.

Goals seem certain, and the return of the charismatic Taylor to the starting line-up may give Charlton the edge.