Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs Norwich City - prediction, team news, lineups

Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City will both be desperate to make a winning start to the new year when they lock horns in Thursday's clash at Loftus Road.

The Rs head into 2026 in ninth spot in the Championship table, while the Canaries are languishing in 23rd position.

Match preview

QPR are sitting three points adrift of the playoffs after winning 10, drawing five and losing nine of their 24 league games this season.

Their playoff quest has lost some momentum with a return of just one win from their final four matches of 2025.

After losing 3-1 to Middlesbrough, the Rs bounced back with an emphatic 4-1 win over Leicester City before they played out a 1-1 draw in their away meeting with Portsmouth.

However, they were unable to take anything from Monday's clash against West Bromwich Albion, falling to a 2-1 defeat at The Hawthorns to leave them without a win in four consecutive away matches (D1, L3).

With that poor record in mind, Julien Stephan's side will be looking forward to returning to the familiar surroundings of Loftus Road, especially as they have won each of their previous four home games.

Thursday's hosts are bidding to record a second successive home win over Norwich after cruising to a 3-0 success in the two sides' most recent meeting in west London in December 2024.

Norwich, meanwhile, are battling to protect their Championship status, with four points separating them from safety after mustering 21 points from their 24 matches.

Twelve of those points have arrived in Philippe Clement's nine games in charge, although his side were unable to take anything from Sunday's home clash with Watford.

Norwich looked set to play out a goalless draw until Vivaldo Semedo netted a 90th-minute winner to halt the Canaries' four-game unbeaten run.

They will have to quickly pick themselves up for their New Year's Day fixture, but that will be easier said than done for a team that have failed to win any of their last 10 Championship away games (D5, L5).

The visitors can at least draw some inspiration from the 3-1 victory they picked up in the reverse meeting with QPR at the end of November.

In fact, Norwich tend to fare well in games against the Rs, having lost just one of their previous 12 competitive meetings (D5, L6).

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

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Norwich City Championship form:

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Team News

QPR remain without long-term absentee Ziyad Larkeche, while Jake Clarke-Salter and Ilias Chair could also miss Thursday’s game through injury.

Right-back Amadou Mbengue will return to the backline after being rested for Monday’s defeat to West Brom.

There could also be recalls for Steve Cook, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Karamoko Dembele and Rumarn Burrell.

Norwich are expected to be without the services of Gabriel Forsyth, Jeffrey Schlupp, Papa Amadou Diallo, Mirko Topic and Ante Crnac.

Ben Chrisene is set to replace Lucien Mahovo at left-back after dropping down to the bench for Monday’s defeat to Watford.

Jovon Makama could also return to the side, with the forward looking to continue his fine form after scoring four goals in his last three starts.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Hamer; Mbengue, Dunne, Cook, Norrington-Davies; Dembele, Madsen, Varane, Saito; Burrell, Kone

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Fisher, McConville, Darling, Chrisene; McLean, Mattsson; Springett, Makama, Schwartau; Sargent

We say: Queens Park Rangers 3-1 Norwich City

QPR have made Loftus Road a fortress in recent times, and with Norwich winless in 10 away league games, we think the signs suggest that the Rs will claim a fifth consecutive home victory in the New Year's Day fixture.

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