QPR welcome Middlesbrough to Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium in a huge Sky Bet Championship clash in the battle for a play-off spot.
Victory could lift QPR up to second in the table if Bournemouth and Blackburn both fail to win elsewhere, whilst Boro can go fifth if Huddersfield and West Brom both fail to win elsewhere.
Team News
Chris Willock is set to start for QPR after he was rested in Saturday’s FA Cup exit against Peterborough alongside Sam Field and Yoann Barbet.
Seny Dieng will miss out after featuring in Senegal’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations winning squad, which has meant that he is yet to return to West London and resume training with David Marshall set to continue in goal.
Jordan Archer (leg) is a doubt but Sam McCallum (hamstring) won’t be risked until he is declared match fit by QPR’s first-team doctors.
Middlesbrough manager, Chris Wilder could hand Riley McGree his debut for the club after he missed their shock FA Cup win at Manchester United through a positive Coronavirus test.
Sammy Ameobi, Darnell Fisher and Marc Bola all remain absent with knee injuries.
Stat Attack
- QPR have lost just one of their last seven meetings against Middlesbrough (W4, D2, L1).
- Middlesbrough are unbeaten in four of their last five trips to QPR (W2, D2, L1).
- Both QPR and Middlesbrough have scored in four of their last five meetings.
- QPR have kept clean sheets in their last three home league games.
- Three of Middlesbrough’s last four away league goals have been scored by Duncan Watmore.
Prediction
With both teams in the hunt for promotion and at minimum a play-off spot, this is a huge clash for both teams so there won’t be much room for defeat given the tight margins near the top of the table.
QPR however need a reaction here after a wasteful performance against a Peterborough team on Saturday to exit the FA Cup, which is a match that they really should of won if had been more clinical given their dominance and possession control.
Middlesbrough meanwhile come into this game off the back of a tense cupset at Man Utd so will be eager to build on that result, yet they were an absolute mess for the first hour which can’t be repeated here but they are dangerous when able to get on the attack.
On that note, the first goal surely has to be key but if Middlesbrough score first then I expect QPR to dig in and ask questions of the away defence, which could lead to a fair point for both teams.
Prediction: QPR 1-1 Middlesbrough
Result: QPR 2-2 Middlesbrough
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