MX23RW : Friday, May 10 05:44:07| >> :600:603438:603438:
[monks data]
Attendance: 14,113
QPR logo
Championship | Gameweek 36
Feb 29, 2020 at 3pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

2-2

Pugh (51'), Hugill (55')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Hogan (24', 81')

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

Sports Mole previews the Championship clash between Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Mid-table pair Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City face off at Loftus Road on Saturday level on points in the Championship standings.

Both sides are nine points clear of the relegation zone and 10 points off the playoff places, and come into this contest off the back of decent runs of form.


Match preview

Queens Park Rangers' Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring their second goal with Marc Pugh on February 15, 2020© Reuters

QPR are unbeaten in their last four Championship fixtures after a run of three straight defeats as the London side steer themselves back into form.

Mark Warburton's side are the third-highest scorers in the Championship despite sitting 13th, their record of 53 strikes in 35 games behind only Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.

However, their defensive record is the second-worst in the division, with only bottom-of-the-league Luton Town shipping more than their tally of 59.

QPR had to wait until December for their first league clean sheet, and have recorded just five in their last 16 Championship outings.

One of those clean sheets did come in a 2-0 away win over Saturday's opponents Birmingham, however, and Warburton will be hoping to replicate that result at home.

Pep Clotet's side are on a remarkable 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions, though, with nine of those fixtures coming in the Championship.

However, the Blues have drawn each of their last three matches and will be hoping to end that streak with a victory in London.

Birmingham have had defensive problems of their own, managing just two clean sheets in their last 22 league games, but both came in their last four fixtures.

Queens Park Rangers form: LLDWDW

Birmingham City form: WWWDDD


Team News

Birmingham boss Pep Clotet on February 1, 2020© Reuters

QPR head coach Warburton is without just one player as he prepares for the visit of Birmingham.

Young midfielder Charlie Owens, who is yet to make a league appearance this season, is sidelined with a knee injury.

Birmingham boss Clotet, however, has a trio of absences to contend with.

Josh McEachran, Jacques Maghoma and Kerim Mrabti are the three unavailable due to injury.

Those names aside, both managers have fully-fit squads to choose from.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Kelly; Kane, Hall, Barbet, Manning; Cameron, Ball; Osayi-Samuel, Eze, Pugh; Hugill

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Camp; Colin, Roberts, Dean, Pedersen; Bela, Gardner, Sunjic, Bellingham; Hogan, Jutkiewicz


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Birmingham City

Given the good recent form of both sides and their well-documented defensive struggles, the pair could cancel each other at Loftus Road in an entertaining, high-scoring draw.



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Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a win with a probability of 47.98%. A win for had a probability of 27.67% and a draw had a probability of 24.4%.

The most likely scoreline for a win was 1-0 with a probability of 9.62%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.46%) and 2-0 (7.92%). The likeliest win was 0-1 (6.97%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.47%).


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester463141189414897
3Leeds UnitedLeeds462791081433890
4Southampton462691187632487
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
6Norwich CityNorwich4621101579641573
7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


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