Preview:Nottingham Forest vs. Queens Park Rangers - prediction, team news, lineups

Promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest host Queens Park Rangers as they look to keep the pressure on the Championship's top two and maintain their playoff spot for another week.

Forest entertain a QPR side 11 points clear of both the relegation zone and the top six as they head for a comfortable, mid-table finish this season.

Match preview

Nottingham Forest will be looking to get back to winning ways after experiencing a blip in form, winning one and losing two of their last four league games.

Sabri Lamouchi's side had been on a seven-game unbeaten run that kept them in a strong position in the Championship table, but they have failed to take full advantage of the slump experienced by Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion, with the pair clinging onto their automatic promotion places.

Still, Forest remain within four points of second-placed Leeds after holding league leaders West Brom to a 2-2 draw last time out, following a late equaliser from Matty Cash.

Lamouchi's men also boast the third-best defensive record in the division behind Brentford and Leeds but have only managed to record two clean sheets in their last nine league outings.

However, they did keep QPR scoreless in the reverse fixture earlier this season, thrashing the London side 4-0 after Lee Wallace's sending-off early in the second half.

Preventing QPR from scoring was a fine feat in and of itself, given Mark Warburton's side boast the third-best attack in the Championship, hitting 51 goals in 33 games.

However, they also have the joint-second worst defensive record in the league, level with bottom-of-the-table Barnsley and behind only second-bottom Luton Town.

Warburton's side ended a five game winless league run - in which they lost four in a row - last time out, coming back from 2-0 down to beat Stoke City 4-2.

Nottingham Forest Championship form: DWLWLD

Queens Park Rangers Championship form: WLLLDW Queens Park Rangers form (all competitions): LLLLDW

Team News

Forest head coach Lamouchi has just one player missing ahead of Saturday's fixture, with Tendayi Darikwa out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury.

QPR manager Warburton also has a solitary absentee ahead of the team's visit to Nottingham as Charlie Owens is still sidelined with a knee problem and will not be able to feature.

Aside from the pair, both managers have a full squad to choose from.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup: Samba; Cash, Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro; Watson, Sow; Ameobi, Silva, Lolley; Grabban

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

We say: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Queens Park Rangers

With neither side in flying form this could be a close encounter, with a solid defence tested by one of the league's most potent attacks. However, the promotion-chasing side should just get the job done at home.