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

Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers will both be aiming to recover from Boxing Day defeats when they meet in the Championship on Tuesday.

The table-topping Canaries were beaten 1-0 by Watford, while struggling Rangers lost 2-0 to Swansea City.

Match preview

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Despite dominating possession and having more than double the amount of shots as Watford, Norwich still fell to defeat at Vicarage Road in Xisco Munoz's first game in charge of the Hornets.

It brought to an end the Canaries' five-game winning run, but they are still four points clear at the top of the Championship table.

They now have three successive home fixtures to look forward to, having not lost at Carrow Road since the beginning of October.

Despite their status as league leaders, Daniel Farke may be keen to work on his side's defensive record, as they have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine matches.

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That could give hope to a QPR side who have struggled for confidence in front of goal of late, netting just once in their last four matches.

Mark Warburton was left ruing missed chances by Macauley Bonne and Dominic Ball as his side were beaten at home by Swansea on Boxing Day.

It is now eight games without a win for Rangers, who sit just four points above the Championship relegation zone in 19th position.

They have won only once away from home so far this season, and that was at struggling Derby County at the start of November.

QPR have not won at Carrow Road since September 2008, and lost 4-0 on their last visit to Norfolk 20 months ago. The Norwich scorers that day – Emiliano Buendia, Marco Stiepermann and Teemu Pukki – are all still at the club.

Norwich City Championship form: WWWWWL

Queens Park Rangers Championship form: LDLDDL

Team News

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Boxing Day saw a first start for Kieran Dowell following his ankle injury, but Daniel Farke may drop the midfielder to the bench as he seeks to ease him back into first team affairs after nearly three months out.

Mario Vrancic would appear the most likely candidate to replace Dowell, while there could also be a recall in the centre of defence for Ben Gibson.

Lukas Rupp returned from a hamstring injury as a substitute in the closing stages at Vicarage Road, but may be used from the bench again for now.

Mark Warburton could bring Bright Osayi-Samuel and Albert Adomah back into the QPR starting 11 as he aims to increase his side's attacking output.

Luke Amos, Charlie Owens, Lee Wallace and Osman Kakay all remain sidelined for the West London outfit.

Norwich City possible starting lineup: McGovern; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Sorensen; McLean, Skipp; Buendia, Vrancic, Cantwell; Pukki

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup: Dieng; Kane, Dickie, Barbet, Hamalainen; Cameron, Ball; Adomah, Chair, Osayi-Samuel; Dykes

We say: Norwich City 2-0 Queens Park Rangers

Norwich will be eager to return to form quickly after defeat on Boxing Day, and hosting a severely out-of-form QPR side may be the ideal fixture for them. Victory should come fairly comfortably for the Canaries, increasing the pressure on Mark Warburton.

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