MX23RW : Monday, April 29 00:52:48| >> :600:104451:104451:
[monks data]
Attendance: 14,113
QPR logo
Championship | Gameweek 36
Feb 29, 2020 at 3pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

2-2

Pugh (51'), Hugill (55')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Hogan (24', 81')

Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. Birmingham City - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews the Championship clash between Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Mid-table pair Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City face off at Loftus Road on Saturday level on points in the Championship standings.

Both sides are nine points clear of the relegation zone and 10 points off the playoff places, and come into this contest off the back of decent runs of form.


Match preview

Queens Park Rangers' Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring their second goal with Marc Pugh on February 15, 2020© Reuters

QPR are unbeaten in their last four Championship fixtures after a run of three straight defeats as the London side steer themselves back into form.

Mark Warburton's side are the third-highest scorers in the Championship despite sitting 13th, their record of 53 strikes in 35 games behind only Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.

However, their defensive record is the second-worst in the division, with only bottom-of-the-league Luton Town shipping more than their tally of 59.

QPR had to wait until December for their first league clean sheet, and have recorded just five in their last 16 Championship outings.

One of those clean sheets did come in a 2-0 away win over Saturday's opponents Birmingham, however, and Warburton will be hoping to replicate that result at home.

Pep Clotet's side are on a remarkable 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions, though, with nine of those fixtures coming in the Championship.

However, the Blues have drawn each of their last three matches and will be hoping to end that streak with a victory in London.

Birmingham have had defensive problems of their own, managing just two clean sheets in their last 22 league games, but both came in their last four fixtures.

Queens Park Rangers form: LLDWDW

Birmingham City form: WWWDDD


Team News

Birmingham boss Pep Clotet on February 1, 2020© Reuters

QPR head coach Warburton is without just one player as he prepares for the visit of Birmingham.

Young midfielder Charlie Owens, who is yet to make a league appearance this season, is sidelined with a knee injury.

Birmingham boss Clotet, however, has a trio of absences to contend with.

Josh McEachran, Jacques Maghoma and Kerim Mrabti are the three unavailable due to injury.

Those names aside, both managers have fully-fit squads to choose from.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Kelly; Kane, Hall, Barbet, Manning; Cameron, Ball; Osayi-Samuel, Eze, Pugh; Hugill

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Camp; Colin, Roberts, Dean, Pedersen; Bela, Gardner, Sunjic, Bellingham; Hogan, Jutkiewicz


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Birmingham City

Given the good recent form of both sides and their well-documented defensive struggles, the pair could cancel each other at Loftus Road in an entertaining, high-scoring draw.



ID:391115: cacheID:391115:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5999:

Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a win with a probability of 47.98%. A win for had a probability of 27.67% and a draw had a probability of 24.4%.

The most likely scoreline for a win was 1-0 with a probability of 9.62%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.46%) and 2-0 (7.92%). The likeliest win was 0-1 (6.97%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.47%).


Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Derby County's Wayne Rooney reacts on February 25, 2020
Read Next:
Derby County boss Phillip Cocu rues costly Wayne Rooney mistake
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
2Leeds UnitedLeeds45279980413990
3Ipswich TownIpswich442612688563290
4Southampton452591185622384
5Norwich CityNorwich4521101479631673
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4520121367472072
7Hull City451913136859970
8Middlesbrough45199176861766
9Coventry CityCoventry4417131468551364
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Bristol City451711175347662
12Cardiff CityCardiff45195215165-1462
13Swansea CitySwansea451512185964-557
14Watford451317156058256
15Sunderland45168215252056
16Millwall451511194455-1156
17Queens Park RangersQPR451411204557-1253
18Stoke CityStoke451411204560-1553
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn451311215874-1650
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds45148234268-2650
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth451212215870-1248
22Birmingham CityBirmingham451211224965-1647
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield45918184875-2745
RRotherham UnitedRotherham45412293287-5524


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!