Chelsea and QPR go head to head in the west London derby on Saturday but where will the game be won and lost?

GetWestLondon's Blues correspondent Dan Levene and Hoops reporter Paul Warburton identify three key battles that they think will go a long way to deciding the result at Stamford Bridge.

Branislav Ivanovic v Bobby Zamora

Dan Levene: Having sat out his one-match ban, for two yellow cards at Old Trafford, Branislav Ivanovic is likely to return to Jose Mournho's starting line-up on Saturday.

The steely Serbia has been re-cast this season as a roaming attacking fullback – as likely to pop-up with a goal in the opposition box, as he is to be muscling against hostile forwards in his own area.

Mourinho's hope will no doubt be that Bobby Zamora can be kept under close enough control by Ivanovic and his cohorts that the versatile defender can get up the other end to cause some damage.

Paul Warburton: The hint is Zamora will come off the Bridge bench on Saturday - but even if he does the impact the Rs target striker has made over the last two games is startling.

Liverpool could hardly handle the former Fulham forward two weeks ago, and he was more than a handful for Aston Villa on Monday.

Shovel the ball up to the 33-year-old and the man who was on his way out of Loftus Road just a frew months ago could provide the bullets for the likes of Charlie Austin to fire, Ivanovic or no Ivanovic.

Cesc Fabregas versus Karl Henry

Dan Levene: While all the talk has been about the man scoring Chelsea's goals, it is the supplier who probably lays best claim to be the player of the Blues' season so far.

Cesc Fabregas has been a revelation both home and away, adding that final link pass to the forwards on no less than ten occasions already, and scoring twice himself.

His key strength seems to be in finding space – both for his own play in midfield, and for the pathway to thread a ball to a darting striker.

Karl Henry is likely to be among those trying to stop those laser-guided assists from the Spaniard – probably one of the toughest jobs he will be tasked with all season.

Paul Warburton: Agreed. Henry against Fabregas? it seems a one-sided battle at the outset, but that's just the sort that makes the former Wolves man excited.

Taking the big boys down a peg or two is very Henry, and provided the QPR midfielder can avoid the colour yellow he might just freeze blood in Blue veins and provide the lifeblood for a second Rs away win on the spin in SW6.

Diego Costa v Steven Caulker

Dan Levene: After a break of four matches, Chelsea £32m goal machine is set to return this weekend.

Diego Costa has already scored nine times in eight starts for his new club – and he is expected to be hungry for more against QPR.

Combining the brute force of a charging bull, with the dexterousness of a ballerina, he spends entire afternoons seeking out scoring positions – and then demanding his team-mates feed him.

He has already made short work of finding his way around the defences of Burnley, Leicester, Everton, Swansea, Aston Villa and Arsenal.

Whatever Stephen Caulker gets up to on Halloween, he's unlikely to see anything quite as scary as the Costa he will encounter the following day.

Paul Warburton: QPR didn't spend £8m on a defender because he will shrink at the sight of Costa - no matter how good a start the Chelsea striker's had.

Having spoken to a couple of managers and one Championship chairman, they all think Caulker was well, a corking buy.

He played every Premier League game for Cardiff last season, and admits he's used to having his back up against the wall.

Caulker is without doubt the best summer acquisition by Rangers as Costa and Chelsea are about to find out.

Keep up to date with all the build-up, matchday and post-game reaction to Chelsea v QPR right here on GetWestLondon