It is high noon on Saturday for the cup hopes of two west London neighbours. Club historian Rick Glanvill, club statistician Paul Dutton and former player Clive Walker prepare to journey from the Bridge to the Bush…

TALKING POINTS
Chelsea and QPR meet for the 50th time in all competitions. The Blues have prevailed in four of the six previous cup encounters.

There is no love lost between Chelsea and our neighbours from up the borough but that is no excuse for either set of fans to forget common decency or their responsibilities as envoys of a wider fanbase.

There will be no alcohol on sale in the ground (in the away end at least) for this early kick-off and the eyes and ears of the media will be trained to pick out misdemeanours. Get behind the team, ignore the sideshows.

Beating MK Dons (albeit at the second attempt) in the third round means that the Rs have reached this stage for the first time since 2001.

If Blues supporters are hoping for omens from the fourth round match at Loftus Road that followed, enjoy the scoreline: QPR 0 Arsenal 6. Renowned punter Stan Bowles must have been incensed: he had tipped his old side to manage a 0-0 draw and (presumably hedging his bets) Peter Crouch to 'open the scoring'. (You read that here first - maybe you will read it again later elsewhere.)

Prior to that QPR progressed in 1997, when they were dumped out in the fourth round by the side we beat in the semi-finals, Wimbledon. And the previous year, you may recall, it was Chelsea, again at Loftus Road, who won 2-1 to reach the fifth round.

The last time the Rs progressed further than this stage was 1995; current boss Mark Hughes was then part of a Manchester United team that eased past them 2-0 in a quarter-final at Old Trafford.

By beating the Milton Keynes outfit this year QPR, like all third round winners, earned £67,000 in FA Cup prize money.

Of course this competition is about kudos not dosh, but the money accrued going into the latter stages can be important to a club. Semi-final winners in this competition will each earn £900,000 (the vanquished half that amount), while the FA Cup final winners pocket £1,800,000, and the runners-up £900,000.

Contrast that with the Carling Cup finalists: winners and losers take away £100,000 and £50,000 respectively. The losing semi-finalists are each given £25,000.

On a separate note, everyone connected with Chelsea wishes a speedy recovery to our all-time record goalscorer Bobby Tambling who is currently unwell.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes there will be a replay at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 8 February kick off 7.45pm subject to any TV selection.

The draw for the FA Cup fifth round is on Sunday at approx 3.40pm and will be broadcast on ITV1.

Six top-flight sides are guaranteed not to progress to the fifth round as a result of all-Premier League ties this weekend.

FA Cup fourth round fixtures
Tonight
Watford v Tottenham 7.45pm - ESPN
Everton v Fulham 8pm
Saturday
QPR v Chelsea 12noon
Liverpool v Manchester United 12.45pm - ITV1
Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday 3pm
Bolton v Swansea 3pm
Derby v Stoke 3pm
Hull v Crawley 3pm
Leicester v Swindon 3pm
Millwall v Southampton 3pm
Sheffield United v Birmingham 3pm
Stevenage v Notts County 3pm
West Brom v Norwich 3pm
Brighton v Liverpool 5.15pm - ESPN
Sunday
Sunderland v Middlesbrough 1.30pm - ITV1
Arsenal v Aston Villa 4pm - ESPN

Click on tabs above for more briefing.

TACTICAL BRIEF
Former Blue Clive Walker, frequently the FA Cup hero in his playing days, is looking for a hard-working, professional performance from Chelsea at Loftus Road following their short break in the sun.

'Everyone has been in Mallorca for the last five days, but they'll be back at Cobham on Friday refreshed and raring to go,' says the onetime winger.

'In my days Chelsea were so skint it was a struggle to pay wages sometimes, let alone mid-season jaunts to the sun.

'Funnily enough, with my last club, Cheltenham, we were pushing for promotion one season and slipped off in mid-January to Portugal for a few days. We won the league so it obviously worked for us!

'I know the players will have appreciated going a way for a few days with the sun on their backs during a bleak winter - it's uplifting for anybody in any walk of life. Football is so hectic you can sometimes feel like you're on a treadmill, and this trip should have brought some much-needed peace and relaxation.

'We'll only know by the result whether it's been a successful exercise.

'Chelsea have scored more than one goal only once in last seven against top-flight opposition. When you've not been playing particularly well the inclination has been if you get a goal up to sit back and protect it, especially as the game wears on.

'We need more bravery - things like making runs more often and trying the riskier pass that brings greater reward.

'Ramires is a special player with energy to burn and at times recently he has looked a little subdued. When he's making those blind-side surges he's being brave rather than protecting.

'We have players who can definitely score who need to get back into their flow - Torres, obviously, and Sturridge after his injury needs to pick it up again.

'The high defensive line is another aspect of that. It's how the manager prefers them to play, though I'm sure he allows players to make decisions on the pitch.

'As a result, if we're not keeping the ball well upfront the back four can't squeeze up or they'll be left exposed.

'Branislav Ivanovic could come in at right back if he's fully fit but we'll miss Frank Lampard - this is his sort of game traditionally, and he'd scored in three successive matches before being injured.

'Michael Essien might be in with a shout for 70, 80 minutes of play following his sub appearances.

'We lost our heads early in the league game against QPR and the players will be reminded what went wrong in first 20 minutes, as well as what was right about the second half when we tore them apart with nine men.A lot of our boys have a point to prove.

'I saw QPR play in the previous round, and MK Dons were by far the better side but they just had no cutting edge. Against any decent side QPR would've lost in my opinion.

'They're in transition and new manager Mark Hughes has a massive job on his hands just to keep them in the top flight. The league must be his priority.

'Of course they will want to knock their local rivals, and Sparky's old club, out of the Cup, but if they are hit at 100mph they can fall apart as they have not been good defensively. Attacking-wise Heidar Helgusson has nine goals and the next down have two goals.

'Hughes seems to like Akos Buszaky, who is decent on set-plays and he has also brought in Nedum Onuoha from Man City's reserves and Taye Taiwo from Milan. Onuoha will never score another goal like the solo one against Chelsea last season for Sunderland.

'He's hardly played this season so there are questions over his match fitness and Taiwo is coming into a strange squad and doesn't know the country or the football so there are doubts over them starting.

'QPR have only managed three home wins all season - albeit two in the last two. Give them time on the ball and like anyone they can hurt you. Start fast and over-power them by hard work and closing down, and it should be a good day for Chelsea.'

WE HAVE HISTORY
Back in February 1970, as now, FA Cup opponents QPR were managed by a man with Chelsea connections

A product of the Chelsea Juniors scheme, Les Allen (pictured below) made his debut for the Blues in the 1950s aged 18 in one of the youngest ever front fives in English football history alongside Peter Brabrook, Tony Nicholas, both also 18, Ron Tindall, 20, and Frank Blunstone, an ancient 21.

In 1970 he was able to do little except admire the display of his successors in attack under Dave Sexton.

And just like the words in the tribute to Chelsea's star no.9 'Born is the king', it would be Osgood, Osgood, Osgood on the scoresheet. 'Striking with speed and certainty whenever the ball came to him near goal,' as one writer put it, the King's Road icon was the talking point of the match.

The counterpoint to his hat-trick was a bad tackle on Dave Clement, for which he earned a caution. He was far from the only miscreant in a game of 'fiery tempers and harsh tackling' that referee Kevin Howley earned plaudits for controlling.

The Blues rose above this tumult though, as style, creativity and quality prevailed. Gifted winger Charlie Cooke was magisterial, intensely focused and full of perceptive passes that were key moments in the visitors' first two strikes.

The first through ball freed David Webb from defensive duties and when John Hollins' chip arrived the right-back - who would have such a momentous cup campaign - adjusted his body to volley into the Rangers net.

Cooke's next gem arrived a minute later, a diagonal pass that split the home defence, allowing Peter Osgood to glide in and steer past goalkeeper Mike Kelly.

The Rs were handed a lifeline in the 27th minute when Barry Bridges was tripped inside the area by Eddie McCreadie, and another former Stamford Bridge teammate, Terry Venables, stepped up for the penalty.

Peter Bonetti saved his first effort but was ruled to have moved too quickly. Venables converted the second attempt to peg Chelsea back at 2-1.

A fumble by Kelly from Hollins' low drive allowed Ossie to tap in the rebound to restore the two-goal advantage before half-time, and the visitors came out after the break in decisive mood and QPR's rearguard struggled to cope.

When Peter Houseman played in Osgood on the edge of the box, the striker sent virtually the entire defence the wrong way with a body swerve and picked his spot to beat Kelly for the hat-trick.

Another piece of Ossie magic created an opening for Hollins, but he midfielder slipped as he shot and missed the target. As it was, the Rs managed the final word, Barry Bridges latching onto Rodney Marsh's clever pass to slip the ball past The Cat.

This weekend Chelsea and QPR meet for the seventh occasion in cup competition. Four have been won by Chelsea, including that first meeting in 1970 on our way to winning the FA Cup, and two by QPR.

Our last 10 meetings at Loftus Road
1987/88 - QPR won 3-1 - Old Division One
1989/90 - QPR won 4-2 - Old Division One
1990/91 - QPR won 1-0 - Old Division One
1991/92 - Drew 2-2 - Old Division One
1992/93 - Drew 1-1 - Premier League
1993/94 - Drew 1-1 - Premier League
1994/95 - QPR won 1-0 - Premier League
1995/96 - Chelsea won 2-1 - Premier League
1995/96 - Chelsea won 2-1 - FA Cup
2011/12 - QPR won 1-0 - Premier League

QPR won our Barclays Premier League meeting at Loftus Road in October by a Heidar Helgusson penalty against nine men Chelsea. That was our first defeat against the Rs in seven matches and only the second in 16.

Chelsea v QPR in the FA Cup
21 Feb 1970 6th round, Loftus Road
QPR…..…………....2 Chelsea………………….4
Venables pen             Webb
Bridges                        Osgood 3
                 Att: 33,572

5 Jan 1974 3rd round, Stamford Bridge
Chelsea…………....0 QPR……………………….0
                Att: 31,540

15 Jan 1974 3rd round replay, Loftus Road
QPR…..…………....1 Chelsea………………….0
Bowles
               Att: 28,573

29 Jan 1996 4th round, Loftus Road
QPR…..…………....1 Chelsea………………….2
Quashie                      Furlong
                                     Peacock
              Att: 18,542

Other cup meetings

League Cup
1985/86 (5th Rd) - Loftus Road - Drew 1-1
(Replay)  - Stamford Bridge - QPR won 2-0

2009/10 (3rd Rd) - Stamford Bridge - Chelsea won 1-0

QPR v Chelsea in all competitions
Games played 49
Chelsea wins 18
Rangers wins 14
Draws 17

Head to head in all competitions at Loftus Road
Games played 25
Chelsea wins 6
Rangers wins 9
Draws 10

Biggest win at Loftus Road for each team
QPR 6-0 Chelsea - 31/03/1986 - old Division One
QPR 0-4 Chelsea - 14/09/1968 - old Division One

DAYS SINCE
Chelsea won a competitive match at Loftus Road: 5,843
QPR reached the FA Cup fifth round: 5,460
Arsenal won a trophy: 2,443
Liverpool won a trophy: 2,086

CHELSEA STATS
Chelsea in the FA Cup

Winners: 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010
Runners-up: 1915, 1967, 1994, 2002
Semi-finalists: 1911, 1920, 1932, 1950, 1952, 1965, 1966, 1996, 2006

If you exclude penalty shoot-outs, Chelsea are unbeaten in 17 FA Cup matches in open play since Barnsley defeated us 1-0 in March 2008.

Chelsea are looking to extend our unbeaten record in 2012 to five games and to achieve a fourth successive clean sheet for the first time since October 2010.

Last 10 seasons in the FA Cup
2001/02 - Runners-up
2002/03 - Quarter-final
2003/04 - 5th round
2004/05 - 5th round
2005/06 - Semi-final
2006/07 - Winners
2007/08 - Quarter-final
2008/09 - Winners
2009/10 - Winners
2010/11 - 4th round

Last season the Blues went out of the FA Cup at the fourth round stage to Everton on penalties at Stamford Bridge.

2011/12 scorers
Lampard 11 (2 pens), Sturridge 10, Ramires 8, Drogba 6, Mata 6, Terry 4, Torres 4, Kalou 3, Meireles 2, Anelka 1, Bosingwa 1, Ivanovic 1, D Luiz 1, Malouda 1. Total 59.

MILESTONES
If selected, Jose Bosingwa will make his 100th start in a Blue shirt.

QPR STATS
Formed 1886

QPR in the FA Cup
Runners-up: 1982
Semi-finalists: None
Quarter-finals: 1948, 1970, 1974, 1990, 1995

Mark Hughes is QPR's eighth manager since we played Rangers in the FA Cup four years ago

QPR have won their last two games against MK Dons and Wigan. That followed 10 games without a victory.

Last 10 seasons in the FA Cup
2001/02 - 1st round
2002/03 - 1st round
2003/04 - 1st round
2004/05 - 3rd round
2005/06 - 3rd round
2006/07 - 3rd round
2007/08 - 3rd round
2008/09 - 3rd round
2009/10 - 3rd round
2010/11 - 3rd round

Manager Mark Hughes
Days in charge: 18
Played 3
Won 2
Drawn 0
Lost 1

2010/11 scorers
Helguson 9 (2 pens), Barton 2, Bothroyd 2, Mackie 2, Smith 2, Young 2, Buzsaky 1, Campbell 1, Faurlin 1, Gabbidon 1, own goal 1. Total 24.

WINDOW WATCH
Completed January transfers
Chelsea
Ins Gary Cahill (Bolton, undisclosed)
Outs Nicolas Anelka (Shanghai Shenhua, undisclosed), Carl Magnay (released), Rhys Taylor (Rotherham, loan), Ben Gordon (Kilmarnock, loan), Josh McEachran (Swansea, loan), Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse Arnham, loan), Gael Kakuta (Dijon, loan), Sam Walker (Yeovil, loan)
QPR
Ins Federico Macheda (Manchester United, loan), Taye Taiwo (AC Milan, loan), Nedum Onuoha (Manchester City, undisclosed).

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Mike Dean, who dismissed Fernando Torres in the first of the three Chelsea matches he's officiated this season. The Blues have won all three.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED
There are no suspensions.

Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and for QPR Adel Taarabt and Armand Traore are away at the Africa Cup of Nations.