Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Hoping to bounce back from their dire start to the Championship season, Queens Park Rangers are set to face Charlton Athletic at Loftus Road on Saturday.

The Hoops are looking for their first win of the campaign, while the Addicks are aiming to put their back-to-back defeats in the past.

Match preview

QPR struggled in 2024-25 under Marti Cifuentes, finishing just seven points above the relegation zone, but despite changing managers, the club look set for another season of strife.

With Julien Stephan at the helm this term, the Hoops have failed to win any of their four games across all competitions, losing three and drawing just one - a 1-1 stalemate against Preston North End in their opening Championship match.

Most recently, Stephan's side were shockingly thrashed 7-1 by Coventry City, a result that was especially embarrassing considering that the score was 5-0 before half time, and Richard Kone's consolation goal came in second-half stoppage time.

That latest defeat extended QPR's winless run to seven games and left them 22nd in the table with just one point to their name.

Desperate to turn the trajectory of their campaign around before it is too late, the hosts will need to defy their record of one win in six on their own turf to secure their first victory of the season, but they will take confidence from the fact that they have lost just twice at home since April.

Meanwhile, Nathan Jones's Charlton were promoted to the second tier via the League One playoffs in 2024-25, and they will have their sights set on mere survival this season.

To that end, the Addicks have made a commendable start to their Championship campaign with one win, one draw and one defeat from their first three games.

However, Jones's men were beaten 1-0 by Leicester City at the Valley last time out in the league, though they were unlucky to walk away empty-handed given that they generated 20 shots compared to their opponents' six, and 1.63 expected goals compared to the Foxes' 0.5.

That loss left Charlton 14th in the division with a tally of four points, putting them three above QPR in the relegation zone and three behind Preston in the playoffs.

On Tuesday, the Addicks followed up their league defeat by being eliminated from the EFL Cup in a 3-1 loss on the road to League Two's Cambridge United.

That result marked just the second time in their last seven travelling matches that the visitors have been beaten away from home, and fans could draw confidence from their resilience on the road.

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

Queens Park Rangers form (all competitions):

Charlton Athletic Championship form:

Charlton Athletic form (all competitions):

Team News

QPR have a number of absences to contend with this weekend, including attacking midfielder Ilias Chair and right-winger Kwame Poku.

With the duo out of action, the Hoops could line up with Karamoko Dembele, Kieran Morgan and Rayan Kolli operating behind striker Rumarn Burrell.

At the opposite end of the pitch, centre-back Jake Clarke-Salter and left-back Ziyad Larkeche are unavailable, so expect to see Liam Morrison and Steve Cook start at the heart of defence, flanked by Jimmy Dunne and Esquerdinha at full-back.

As for Charlton, they will be missing striker Matt Godden due to a knee injury, and Miles Leaburn could make the XI on Saturday, though Isaac Olaofe will be on hand to provide additional firepower.

Aiding the centre-forward should be Rob Apter and Tyreece Campbell on the flanks, while Sonny Carey and Greg Docherty provide attacking support from midfield.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Walsh; Dunne, Morrison, Cook, Esquerdinha; Varane, Field; Dembele, Morgan, Kolli; Burrell

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones, Bell, Edwards; Coventry; Apter, Carey, Docherty, Campbell; Leaburn

We say: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Charlton Athletic

QPR have found points hard to come by in the Championship, but with two defeats from their last six home games, they could earn a draw this weekend.

Charlton performed much better than their league defeat against Leicester would suggest, and they will be confident in their attacking ability on Saturday.