Queens Park Rangers play host to Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday evening with the opportunity to finally move outside of the Championship relegation zone.
While a resurgent QPR sit in 22nd place in the table, the visitors to Loftus Road are three points ahead in 18th, highlighting how a number of teams have been brought back into the mix.
Match preview
© Reuters
There have been times this season where managers have been changed when they should not have, yet that has not been the case at QPR.
Marti Cifuentes has instigated a turnaround at Loftus Road that was certainly not anticipated, with a first win at their home ground since March leading to three Championship triumphs in succession.
A 12-game winless streak has been followed by victories over Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City, with a total of eight goals being scored in the process.
Perhaps more impressively, the Hoops have kept two clean sheets in a row, and it has resulted in the West Londoners suddenly being within three points of their upcoming opponents.
With Sheffield Wednesday also showing form below them, just nine points separate the bottom seven, heaping the pressure on Plymouth who have been brought back into a relegation scrap.
© Reuters
With six points coming from four matches, Steven Schumacher will be relatively content with Plymouth recent return as they bid to simply survive in the second tier this season.
However, results went against them at the weekend, creating a scenario where they are now at risk of their 22nd-placed opponents moving level on points with them.
Schumacher will have no concerns about their form at Home Park with Plymouth impressively possessing the seventh-best home record in the division.
However, just three points and seven defeats have been posted from 10 away fixtures, with the Pilgrims going down 4-0 to leaders Leicester City on Saturday with three of those goals coming in a six-minute spell after half time.
Team News
© Reuters
Cifuentes may be against making any alterations to the QPR XI that started the win over Hull.
While Jack Colback is an option if he overcomes a knock, the preference could be to stay with an offensive-minded lineup.
Osman Kakay is an alternative at right-back if Cifuentes wants to introduce fresh legs with he and Reggie Cannon having often been rotated.
Meanwhile, Schumacher is likely to tinker with his Plymouth side given the manner of their capitulation at the King Power Stadium and having rested some of his key men.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Dan Scarr, Brendan Galloway, Luke Cundle, Jordan Houghton, Bali Mumba and Ryan Hardie could all take their positions back in the team.
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Cannon, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal; Field, Dozzell; Smyth, Chair, Willock; Dykes
Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Kesler-Hayden, Scarr, Gibson, Galloway; Cundle, Houghton, Azaz; Mumba, Hardie, Whittaker
We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth have already shown this season that they are capable of churning out results in the second tier. However, that has been purely at Home Park, and we are backing QPR to add another win to their recent collection and a clean sheet to boot.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
