MX23RW : Thursday, April 18 07:13:36| >> :120:56883:56883:
[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.



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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%).


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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
2Leicester CityLeicester422841079384188
3Leeds UnitedLeeds43269876344287
4Southampton42259884543084
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4320121166422472
6Norwich CityNorwich432181476601671
7Hull City421811136254865
8Coventry CityCoventry4217121366521463
9Middlesbrough43189166156563
10Preston North EndPreston43189165660-463
11Cardiff CityCardiff43185204860-1259
12Bristol City431610175046458
13Sunderland43168195250256
14Swansea CitySwansea431411185362-953
15Watford431216155958152
16Millwall431311194255-1350
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn431310205771-1449
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth431212195866-848
19Queens Park RangersQPR431211204057-1747
20Stoke CityStoke431211204160-1947
21Birmingham CityBirmingham43129224864-1645
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield43917174770-2344
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds43128233667-3144
RRotherham UnitedRotherham43411283285-5323


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