Championship Gameweek 43
Jul 11, 2020 3.00pm
0
3
HT : 0 2
FT Loftus Road Stadium
  • Dominic Ball 35' yellowcard
  • goal Dominic Iorfa 6'
  • yellowcard Alex Hunt 30'
  • goal Josh Windass 45'+1'
  • yellowcard Moses Odubajo 57'
  • goal Jacob Murphy 78'

Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

QPR vs. Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides with little to play for as the Championship season draws to a close will go head-to-head on Saturday as Queens Park Rangers welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

Both clubs go into the fixture following defeats in their most recent outings, with QPR suffering a 1-0 loss to Wigan Athletic and Wednesday subjected to a 3-1 home defeat to Preston North End.


Match preview

With QPR currently eight points clear of the relegation zone and 11 adrift of the playoff places as things stand, there is very little at stake for Mark Warburton's side in these final four fixtures.

Nevertheless, a mid-table finish would represent a much-improved campaign compared to their last three seasons in the second division, and any faint hopes of a playoff berth soon dwindled for QPR following a poor run of results since the restart.

The Rs had strung together a six-game unbeaten run in the Championship before play was called to a halt, but QPR have only managed to pick up one victory in their last five outings - losing the other four.

It is fair to say that Warburton's men know where the back of the net is - only the top three sides can boast more than QPR's 60 strikes this term, but only Hull City and Luton Town have shipped more than QPR's 67 goals at the other end of the field.

The Rs will now endeavour to achieve their first points at home following the league's resumption having suffered defeat to Barnsley and Fulham in their last two on familiar territory.

Likewise, Wednesday are only one point below their weekend opponents in the table and will be looking to put an end to their three-game losing streak in the capital.

Preston North End - another team struggling for results at this late stage of the campaign - managed to overcome Wednesday on their own turf to leave the Owls down in 16th with four games left to play.

As is the case with QPR, Wednesday can only boast one victory from their five games since the Championship was given the go-ahead to resume - a 2-1 victory over Bristol City in the final weekend of June.

Following their most recent triumph, Garry Monk's side have been swept aside by West Bromwich Albion, narrowly beaten by Swansea and comfortably conquered by Preston to leave any slim hopes of making the playoffs in tatters.

QPR and Wednesday have already met twice this season, with the Londoners getting the better of Monk's side with a 2-1 victory in the league before Wednesday sent QPR crashing out of the FA Cup in the fourth round by the same scoreline in January.

QPR Championship form: WLLLWL

Sheffield Wednesday form: LDWLLL


Team News

QPR may have to make do without 13-goal striker Jordan Hugill, who missed out the loss to Wigan with a hamstring issue he obtained while scoring his side's winner against Middlesbrough.

Defender Lee Wallace is also struggling with an injury in the same area and will likely have to sit this one out for Warburton's side.

Luke Amos is pushing for a recall after coming off the bench during the half-time interval against Wigan, and Olamide Shodipo will be eager to feature from the first whistle.

Meanwhile, Wednesday will hope to welcome Tom Lees back in time for the visit to QPR, and Conor Wickham could return to spearhead the Owls' attack.

Kieran Lee should also be available for Monk after being rested against Preston, although Jacob Murphy was brought off just minutes after netting Wednesday's opener in midweek.

QPR possible starting lineup: Lumley; Kane, Barbet, Masterson, Manning; Amos, Cameron; Eze, Chair, Shodipo; Samuel

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup: Wildsmith; Palmer, Iorfa, Borner; Reach, Bannan, Lee, Luongo, Harris; Wickham, Nuhiu


We say: QPR 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday

With little riding on this fixture for both sides, complacency could start to creep in as the season prepares to reach its conclusion. Neither team has hit the ground running since the restart and we expect a closely-fought draw to be played out in the capital this weekend.


POLL
Who will win Saturday's Championship clash between Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday?
Queens Park Rangers 42%
Draw 23%
Sheffield Wednesday 35%
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