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

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to build on their impressive win over Cardiff City last time out when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls saw off playoff-chasing Cardiff 5-0 on home soil to keep their survival hopes alive, while QPR went down 3-1 to Nottingham Forest in their most recent match.

Match preview

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To put Wednesday's thumping win over Cardiff into perspective, the Owls had not previously scored more than twice in a league game this season.

They were three goals up inside 23 minutes and went on to record their biggest league win since January 2014, when they thrashed Yorkshire rivals Leeds United 6-0.

It was a second win in three games for Wednesday, who also picked up a surprise victory at Barnsley before the international break before losing 1-0 at Watford.

Darren Moore's men are now seven points from safety with a game in hand on 21st-placed Birmingham City, who have themselves enjoyed an upturn in results of late.

Wednesday have a relatively favourable run-in, starting with this trip to a QPR side now left with very little to play for after losing to Forest on Monday.

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Wins over Millwall and Coventry City, either side of a draw against Reading, gave the Rs a slim chance of cracking the top six in their remaining fixtures.

However, Mark Warburton's charges are now 13 points off the playoffs and will be focusing more on finishing in the top half rather than earning promotion.

Lyndon Dykes was on target for QPR at the City Ground earlier this week - the striker's seventh league goal of 2020-21 - but his side were already three goals down by that point.

The West London side have been a lot stronger on home soil, though, winning six of their last eight at the Kiyan Price Foundation Stadium.

However, QPR have lost their last two home meetings with Wednesday in all competitions, while the reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.

Team News

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Dykes was named among the substitutes against Forest, but he made an impact when brought on to replace Dominic Ball by netting QPR's goal.

The Scotland international is surely in contention for a start against QPR, while Charlie Austin - who has six goals since joining in January - will almost certainly be named in the XI.

Jordy de Wijs has been sidelined with a calf injury, so Sam Field may once again get the nod alongside Yoann Barbet and Robert Dickie in defence.

As for Wednesday, Moore will likely want to keep things as close as possible to the XI that started against Cardiff.

Liam Shaw was introduced late on and is likely to be among the substitutes again here, while Elias Kachunga and Joey Pelupessy are two others Moore may consider for selection.

Josh Windass assisted two of his side's five goals against the Bluebirds, which should see him retain his place just off Jordan Rhodes and Callum Paterson.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Dieng; Kakay, Dickie, Barbet; Wallace; Willock, Field, Johansen, Adomah; Dykes, Austin

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Wildsmith; Urhoghide, Lees, Borner; Palmer, Hutchinson, Bannan, Reach; Windass; Paterson, Rhodes

We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Wednesday will be full of confidence on the back of their big win over Cardiff, which makes it two victories in their last three.

QPR were beaten by Forest last time out, meanwhile, but they have looked strong on home soil since the start of February and we can see them prevailing in this clash.