Queens Park Rangers will be looking to move away from the Championship relegation zone when they play host to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon.
At a time when the Hoops are four games unbeaten, Boro got back to winning ways in midweek to ease any lingering concerns about being drawn into a scrap at the bottom.
Match preview
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While there is plenty of time to go in the season, Marti Cifuentes is making a case to be viewed as one of the managers of the 2023-24 Championship.
With QPR sitting in 19th spot and just one point above the relegation zone, that would perhaps be a bizarre assessment in usual circumstances, but it has taken 18 points from the last nine games just to get the Hoops into that position.
Although their three-match winning streak came to an end on Wednesday night, QPR battled from behind to earn a deserved 2-2 draw at home to fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Since taking over a team bereft of any confidence, Cifuentes has accumulated 31 points from 22 matches, the ninth-best return in the division over a period starting on November 4.
That will matter little to the Spaniard as he bids to finally move QPR away from the drop zone, aware that a defeat on Saturday could see them return to second-bottom.
At the same time that QPR have been on an upward trajectory, Boro have been on a downward spiral under Michael Carrick to the extent where they have looked like a team that require a fresh direction.
Boro have lost nine of their last 17 matches in the Championship, leaving them in mid-table and without any realistic hope of making the playoffs now that the deficit is 10 points.
If you put a positive spin on matters, though, the North East outfit have won two of their last four fixtures, recording notable victories over Leicester City and Norwich City.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that the 30th-minute dismissal of a Canaries player led to the 3-1 win in midweek, and Carrick and his players still have much to prove in the short term, as well as maintain a nine-point gap above the bottom three.
Team News
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Although QPR's performance against West Brom warranted a point, Cifuentes called on several of his substitutes to secure a share of the spoils.
Joe Hodge, Chris Willock and Lyndon Dykes will all feel that they are in contention for a recall.
Jack Colback is also available again after suspension and could earn an immediate chance back in the team.
Carrick may be prepared to name the same Middlesbrough XI, even though their task was made more comfortable against Norwich due to the sending off.
Players were also rested during the final quarter, Jonny Howson making a successful return from injury, while Isaiah Jones was back in the squad after his own fitness issue.
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal; Colback, Field; Willock, Andersen, Chair; Dykes
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Dieng; McNair, Van den Berg, Clarke; Ayling, Howson, O'Brien, Engel; McGree; Forss, Latte Lath
We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Middlesbrough
On the back of beating Norwich, Boro will have every confidence that they can return to the North East with at least a share of the spoils. However, QPR are one of the most improved sides in the division and we expect to see another win for the Hoops in the capital.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
