Birmingham City manager Steve Cotterill has said that QPR's Financial Fair Play fine has been a positive for the team this season.

The Hoops haven't been limited in what they can spend after breaching FFP regulations in 2014, and the Blues' boss says that he thinks that limitation has aided the team's cause.

Speaking in he pre-match press conference, Cotterill said: "I think that Ian has done a very, very good job there. When he went in there last year, a couple of real long losing runs, not with draws in between, not with wins or anything like that.

“And he has steered them through some real rough waters. I think he has done a very, very good job there.

“In a funny way having a Financial Fair Play fine or whatever hanging over didn’t allow him to strengthen too much in the summer, I think probably has been a little bit of a strength.

“A bit of siege mentality they could have there and I think he has fostered a good team spirit.

“They have started to get back, which is just our luck, a few players back from injury that they wouldn’t have had maybe a month ago.

“But I think he has done a great job there, I think he deserves to be congratulated on what he has done there so far.”

Asked whether the sides' league positions add any more importance to the game, Cotterill said: "I suppose what it does do, if you get the three points then that pulls them closer to us. We understand that.

“I am sure Ian will have the same thought and theory about whether they can get three points.

“They had a good win here last year. I don’t know quite how they will feel about the game.

“But for us, we always go out and get the three points, it’s just we have to take it in measures how we get our three points at the moment.”