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

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

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

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.