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

Relegation-threatened Norwich City will look to claim their first win since August when they play host to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

The Canaries are languishing in 23rd position, while the R's are just inside the top half of the Championship table.

Match preview

Norwich City are sitting six points adrift from safety after failing to win any of their last 13 matches since beating Blackburn Rovers at the end of August (D3, L9).

Philippe Clement has taken one point from his first two matches in charge after being appointed Liam Manning's successor earlier this month.

After starting with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Birmingham City, Clement appeared to be on course to end Norwich's winless run in Tuesday's home meeting with Oxford United.

However, Jovon Makama saw his first-half opener cancelled out by Filip Krastev's 95th-minute equaliser, denying the Canaries three precious points at Carrow Road.

As a result of that late leveller, Norwich remain one of two sides yet to win a home game in the Championship, although the score draw represented their first point at Carrow Road this term.

The Canaries will feel that they need to improve defensively in the second period if they are to start picking home wins, having shipped 11 of their 14 home league goals conceded after half time.

QPR have hit the ground running following the international break after ending a four-game winless run with back-to-back victories.

The R's came from 2-1 down to beat Hull City 3-2 at home last weekend, before they required just one goal to take three points from Wednesday's away meeting with Blackburn Rovers.

Substitute Paul Smyth found the net within seven minutes of his introduction to guide QPR to a 1-0 success at Ewood Park, moving them up to 12th place and to within two points of the playoffs.

Julien Stephan's side should fancy their chances of picking up another positive result on Saturday, having lost just one of their last seven away matches (W4, D2).

They have also recorded three clean sheets in their previous four road trips, and they will be targeting another shutout against the joint third-lowest scorers in the Championship.

However, claiming three points will be easier said than done for a club that has not beaten Norwich at Carrow Road since September 2008.

Norwich City Championship form:

L L D L L D

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

L L L D W W

Team News

The hosts are contending with an injury list that features Ben Chrisene, Jose Cordoba, Lucien Mahovo, Gabriel Forsyth, Liam Gibbs, Papa Amadou Diallo and Ante Crnac.

Midfielder Mirko Topic is set to drop out of the squad after going off with an injury at half time of Tuesday's draw with Oxford.

Pelle Mattsson should replace Topic in the middle of the park, and there could also be a recall for Mathias Kvistgaarden if Clement opts to freshen up his attacking options.

As for the visitors, they remain without goalkeeper Joe Walsh and defender Ziyad Larkeche, while Harvey Vale is a doubt after missing the last two matches.

Ben Hamer is another injury concern after the shot-stopper was forced off in the first half of Wednesday's win following a collision with teammate Steve Cook.

Paul Nardi will start between the posts if Hamer is unable to feature, while there could be recalls for Jake Clarke-Salter, Rhys Norrington-Davies and Richard Kone.

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Stacey, McConville, Darling, Fisher; Mattsson, McLean; Makama, Marcondes, Schwartau; Sargeant

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Nardi; Mbengue, Dunne, Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies; Varane, Madsen; Dembele, Kone, Chair; Burrell

We say: Norwich City 1-1 Queens Park Rangers

Norwich demonstrated some improvement in their midweek draw with Oxford, but while they will be desperate to end their winless run on Saturday, we think that they will have to settle for a point against a QPR side that have gone three games without defeat.

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