Gary Johnson could be a surprise doubt for Bristol City's big Boxing Day trip to Queens Park Rangers.

Assistant boss Keith Millen revealed the Robins manager has missed training for the last two days.

"He is not well – he is not good at all," admitted the former centre- half. "He has got a chest infection and a cold and the last couple of days he has been in bed.

"He is seeing the doc and hopefully he will be with us to travel down to London on Christmas Day."

If Millen is in charge it will not be the first time he has been at the helm on a matchday.

After Brian Tinnion left the club in 2005, Millen, who was the Geordie's No 2, led City for a 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool and a 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

And the following season Johnson was ill when Bristol City went to Rotherham and Millen managed the Reds to another 1-1 draw.

Bristol City, who trained on the artificial pitch at Filton College yesterday because of the snowy conditions, will assess the fitness of central midfielder Marvin Elliott tomorrow. The former Millwall man limped out of the 1-1 draw at home to Reading with a dead leg.

But whoever is representing the Robins at Loftus Road, Millen is underlining the importance of the game and the home fixture with Watford that follows just two days later for a City side that is ninth in the Championship.

"Two games in three days really can turn the tables any way you want to go," said the former Hornets skipper.

"If you win both you are definitely in the play-offs and if you don't get any points you are in the bottom half.

"Last Boxing Day we won at Watford and I think we won something like six on the spin after that. It's a big weekend and we have to get back to winning ways.

"Six points would make me happy and we have to go into both games knowing we can do it."