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

Swansea City play host to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday evening looking for the win that would take them into the top half of the Championship table.

Meanwhile, QPR make the trip to South Wales sitting in 11th place and two points ahead of their opponents, despite their unbeaten streak ending at the weekend.

Match preview

Ever since their stunning last-gasp win over Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup on September 17, Swansea have struggled to maintain the momentum generated from that success.

Just five points have been recorded in the Championship from as many matches, their solitary win coming away at Blackburn Rovers who are 22nd in the division.

A 3-1 reverse at home to Leicester City prior to the October international break was far from ideal, yet Alan Sheehan can take the positives from the goalless draw that was earned at Southampton on Saturday.

That clean sheet was their first in seven games in all competitions and just the second that they have kept since August 16. One of the others was away to bottom side Sheffield Wednesday.

Sitting just five points adrift of third-placed Stoke City, Sheehan and his squad are aware that there is an opportunity to make quick headway up the standings, but Swansea have failed to win any of their last four home fixtures in the Championship.

Opponents QPR had been one of the form teams in the second tier until they succumbed to a 2-1 reverse at home to fellow London side Millwall on Saturday.

Conceding twice before half time condemned Julien Stephan's outfit to their first defeat since August 23, when they were thrashed 7-1 by Coventry City.

Nevertheless, Stephan will still be satisfied with his team's current position with just two points separating them from Leicester City who are in fourth.

QPR have scored in 10 of their 11 fixtures in all competitions this season, but they have only kept two clean sheets. A goalless draw with Oxford United on October 1 contributed to each of those records.

Since their thrashing at Coventry, the Hoops have accumulated seven points from three aways fixtures against Wrexham, Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City.

Swansea City Championship form:

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Swansea City form (all competitions):

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Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

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Team News

After the rearguard effort at Southampton, Sheehan must decide whether to tinker with his Swansea XI, particularly in the final third.

Zan Vipotnik, who has four Championship goals this campaign, is likely to keep out Adam Idah, but Eom Ji-Sung is pushing for a recall on the left flank ahead of Zeidane Inoussa.

Barring any issues that arose from Saturday, Ricardo Santos could be the only injury absentee.

As for QPR, Amadou Mbengue and Karamoko Dembele are both pushing for recalls ahead of Liam Morrison and Harvey Vale.

Rumarn Burrell is also in line to start in attack ahead of Michael Frey, while Stephan must decide whether this game comes too soon for the likes of Kwame Poku and Ilias Chair who have recently returned to training.

Swansea City possible starting lineup:

Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Stamenic; Ronald, Franco, Galbraith, Eom; Vipotnik

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Nardi; Dunne, Mbengue, Cook, Norrington-Davies; Dembele, Varane, Madsen, Smyth; Kone, Burrell

We say: Swansea City 1-1 Queens Park Rangers

With both teams seemingly on the cusp of launching a surprise playoff bid, this will feel like a must-not-lose for each side. With that in mind, we are backing a low-scoring draw to play out, one which will suit the visitors more so than the hosts.

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