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

Queens Park Rangers will head on their travels for Saturday's Championship meeting with Hull City on Saturday.

Promotion hopefuls Hull head into the weekend in fifth position, while the visitors occupy 13th spot in the Championship table. 

Match preview

Hull are set to turn their focus back to their promotion bid after falling to a heavy 4-0 defeat in their FA Cup fourth-round clash against Chelsea.

The Tigers are operating in fifth place in the Championship table, sitting seven points behind the automatic promotion spots and six points clear of the teams just outside the top six. 

Sergej Jakirovic's side won four consecutive league games before they started February with a goalless draw against Watford and a 3-2 defeat against Bristol City. 

As a result of those two home results, the Tigers have now failed to win three of their previous four league outings at the MKM Stadium, 

They have won two of their last three home meetings with QPR via a 3-0 scoreline, although they fell to a 2-1 loss in their most recent head-to-head encounter at the MKM Stadium in January 2025. 

The hosts should fancy their chances of troubling a QPR side that have the league's fourth-worst defensive record, given the fact that they are the Championship's joint-third highest scorers with 50 goals in 31 games. 

© Imago / Pro Sports Images

QPR head into Saturday's fixture on the back of an underwhelming form, having won just one of their previous six league matches. 

The R's failed to take anything from their most recent outing against Blackburn Rovers, with Koki Saito scoring QPR's only goal in a 3-1 defeat at Ewood Park. 

The result represented their third defeat in the past five home matches, leaving them in the bottom half of the table and four points adrift of the playoffs. 

However, rather than the inconsistent home form, Julien Stephan's side will be more concerned by the fact that his team have failed to win their last seven away games.

As a result, they will travel to the MKM Stadium with hopes of claiming their first away victory since beating Blackburn Rovers 1-0 in November. 

A win on Saturday would see them complete a league double after coming from 2-1 down to claim a 3-2 victory in November's reverse fixture at Loftus Road. 

Hull City Championship form:

Hull City form (all competitions):

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

Team News

© Imago / Focus Images

Hull will be unable to call upon Semi Ajayi, Darko Gyabi, Eliot Matazo, Matt Crooks and Mohamed Belloumi. 

Winter addition Toby Collyer could also be absent after missing the FA Cup defeat to Chelsea with a hamstring problem.

Defender Charlie Hughes also sat out the fourth-round loss, but he should be available for Saturday's home clash. 

Meanwhile, QPR fans will have to wait a little longer to see Justin Obikwu, who is recovering from an injury he picked up after joining the club in January.

The visitors are also having to cope without Ziyad Larkeche, Kwame Poku, Karamoko Dembele and Rumarn Burrell. 

The R's are hopeful that Nicolas Madsen, Jonathan Varane and Ilias Chair will all be available for the away trip. 

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; McNair, Egan, Hughes; Coyle, Hadziahmetovic, Slater, Giles; Gelhardt, Millar; McBurnie

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Walsh; Edwards, Dunne, Cook, Norrington-Davies; Madsen, Hayden; Smyth, Vale, Saito; Kone

We say: Hull City 2-1 Queens Park Rangers

Hull will view Saturday's contest as an opportunity to take all three points off a QPR team that have failed to win their last seven away league matches.

We believe the hosts will lean on home advantage to claim a third victory in four home meetings with the R's.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.