As Swine Flu begins to sweep the Premiership QPR have confirmed that Mikele Leigertwood was suffering with the illness earlier this month.

Leigertwood Swine Flu confirmed, Ecclestone staying with Rangers – evening news As Swine Flue begins to sweep the Premiership QPR have confirmed that Mikele Leigertwood was suffering with the illness earlier this month. Blackburn and Bolton have both confirmed several first teamers are currently laid low with the virus and having lost Radek Cerny for a week of pre-season training with flu like symptoms, QPR have been without Mikele Leigertwood for recent games with Preston and Reading for the same reason.

Leigertwood returned to action as a second half sub at Derby on Saturday as the R’s ran in four goals for the third straight game. Key to the routs has been Akos Buzsaky but the Hungarian has warned QPR fans not to get too used to the team scoring four every week. Buzsaky told the Ealing Gazette: “It's not impossible for us to score away like we do at home, but in away games you have to defend really well first to break the opposition. We can do that. We haven't done that yet this season, but the team is capable of doing that.

"The away games are completely different from the home games but so far, I think we have still done well away. We've already beaten Scunthorpe and Cardiff and drew against Newcastle. We won the last three home games scoring some goals, but this is only three games. We are very optimistic, but it's too early to say we can score four or five goals every single game. There's always room for improvement. Even Barcelona or Real Madrid can improve, but we are on a good run, that's the main thing, and it doesn't matter if we play at home or away.

“Wayne is playing really well, but I don't think it's only one player. He's very good at running at people. He's creating chances and can score goals and he's on a good run. But I think he's not the only one and that's why we are doing well team-wise. If it was only one player creating chances, then it would easy for the opposition to take that man out of the game and then it's finished, but because we have Adel, Wayne, Alejandro and me, it's impossible to keep quiet four people. I think that's why QPR are scoring so many goals at the moment.”

Looking ahead to Friday night’s televised match with Leicester City the visitors, who leapfrogged QPR into the top six with a win at Reading on Monday, have requested a further 300 tickets after selling their initial allocation of 1000 in the Upper School End.

Off the pitch Bernie Ecclestone has vowed to retain his stake and interest in the club regardless of the outcome of Flavio Briatore’s hearing with the Football League over his ownership in November. While admitting he had no idea what would happen if Briatore was forced to sell his stake under the ‘fit and proper person’ regulations Ecclestone told Bloomberg: “I don’t have a problem being with the football club if Briatore leaves. I hope that doesn’t happen.”

Elsewhere in the Championship today Barnsley crashed out of the League Cup with a 2-0 home defeat against Manchester United. The Newcastle soap o[pera continues with Chris Hughton being named the permanent manager after a lengthy caretaker spell while owner Mike Ashley has again withdrawing the club from sale and promised to invest £20m.

Derby manager Nigel Clough has admitted he is concerned by his side’s start to the saeason after a 4-2 defeat against QPR left thgem four points cleasr of the bootom three. Clough said: “We have to be concerned when you are in the bottom six and losing games. We are still clinging on to the hope when everybody is fit we think we can get a side out to compete.”

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