Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers square off at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium having both lost ground in the race for the top six.

These two sides now sit in eighth and ninth place respectively in the Championship standings after disappointing results to Fulham and Coventry City.

Match preview

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Ahead of their meeting with neighbours Fulham, QPR head coach Mark Warburton would have been confident of inflicting more misery on their hosts.

However, despite being on level terms ahead of the final quarter, the Hoops were blown away during the final 23 minutes, suffering their fourth defeat in six matches.

Warburton was not present in the dugout as he continues to recover from coronavirus, but that will not be used as an excuse with his team no strangers to shipping late goals.

On a positive note, the inconsistency of some of the teams above them has kept QPR in a position where they could return to the top six with victory on Tuesday night.

Lyndon Dykes continued his excellent form at Craven Cottage, the Scotland international now scoring in his last four matches for club and country.

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Blackburn had to limit the game time of their own talisman at the weekend after Ben Brereton Diaz returned late from representing Chile.

At one stage, it appeared that Rovers did not require Brereton against Coventry having opened up a two-goal advantage at the break.

However, two goals in six second-half minutes earned the Sky Blues a share of the spoils, marking another game where Blackburn have scored and failed to get over the line

Although Tony Mowbray will take the positives from just three defeats coming in 12 matches, they will not last the pace in the playoff race until they start adding to their two clean sheets.

Team News

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Dykes and Andre Gray could be restored to the QPR starting lineup, potentially taking the place of Chris Willock and Charlie Austin.

Sam McCullum will be assessed after coming through 66 minutes on his comeback from injury, while Luke Amos and Albert Adomah will both feel like they could be handed recalls.

Brereton will come back into the Blackburn side, likely replacing either Lewis Travis or Tyrhys Dolan.

However, much could depend on whether Mowbray sticks with a back three, a formation which was working against Coventry up until the hour mark.

Jacob Davenport and Bradley Johnson are both options if Mowbray decides to freshen up his midfield.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Dieng; Dickie, De Wijs, Barbet; Odubajo, Ball, Johansen, McCallum; Chair; Gray, Dykes

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Van Hecke, Ayala, Lenihan; Nyambe, Buckley, Rothwell, Edun; Gallagher, Dolan, Brereton Diaz

We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Both teams head into this contest with a point to prove, and that extra desire should contribute to an entertaining contest. Despite the goal threat of the visitors, we have to back QPR to make the most of their home advantage.