Birmingham City welcome promotion chasing QPR to St Andrew’s Stadium in Friday Night Football.
Victory could see Birmingham climb as high as tenth in the table, whilst QPR can go top with a win until Saturday afternoon.
Team News
George Friend could return for Birmingham after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Nico Gordon (unspecified) is a doubt with no set timeframe for his return, although he has resumed first-team training.
Przemyslaw Placheta (shin), Marc Roberts (hamstring) and Gary Gardner (calf) remain absent.
QPR will hand Chris Willock and Tyler Roberts late fitness tests following recent hamstring and calf injuries.
Jimmy Dunne (knee) is expected to remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Birmingham City have won just one of their last six meetings against QPR (W1, D2, L3).
- QPR are unbeaten in five of their last six away matches against Birmingham City (W4, D1, L1).
- Each of Birmingham City’s last two matches against QPR at home have ended in 2-1 result, with both teams winning one of those two games apieces.
- Scott Hogan has scored each of Birmingham City’s last two goals, which both came in the 80th minute against Burnley and Blackburn respectively.
- Three of Chris Willock’s six goals for QPR this season have been scored away from home, with two of his three away goals scored after half-time.
Prediction
Birmingham City enter this match off the back of defeat at Blackburn where they simply were sloppy in the first-half defensively, which ultimately proved costly despite a stronger second-half display with a solid finish from Scott Hogan to offer late hope in vain.
QPR meanwhile lost the Championship lead to Burnley in midweek but still have an one game advantage over the Clarets, and do come here off the back of clinical goals in a tight win against Wigan from set pieces so I do expect the Hoops to continue playing their high-energy attacking style of play.
This fixture in recent seasons have also favoured QPR and although Birmingham City should hopefully pose a tough test, I fancy the Hoops to get the win because they seem to be on a strong roll at present and should have enough to penerate Birmingham’s sloppy defence.
Prediction: Birmingham City 1-2 QPR
Result: Birmingham City 2-0 QPR
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