2026-27 Sky Bet Championship: Week Six – Wednesday

Charlton Athletic face a tricky top-of-table test against London rivals, QPR in a massive Championship showdown at The Valley.

Should West Brom fail to win elsewhere, victory would see seventh-placed Charlton leapfrog fourth-placed QPR and go top of the table.

QPR meanwhile will go top with a win unless West Brom win by a two-goal margin at Derby.

 

Team News

Danny McNamara is serving an one-match suspension after he was red carded in Charlton’s 4-0 loss at Stoke.

Billy Koumetio (hamstring) and Charlie Kelman (shoulder) and Josh Edwards (ankle) face late fitness tests.

Will Mannion (shoulder), Nathan Chalobah (thigh), Collins Sichenje (knee), Kayne Ramsey (ankle) and Matty Godden (hamstring) remain absent.

QPR could be without Ilias Chair and Richard Kone after the pair suffered unspecified injuries during their 1-0 defeat at home to Middlesbrough.

Boy Kemper (ankle) is unlikely to be involved but Karamoko Dembele (ACL) is ruled out.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Charlton host QPR at The Valley on Wednesday 9 September at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Charlton have avoided defeat in five of their last seven league meetings against QPR (W3, D2 L2).
• QPR have won just one of their last six league trips to Charlton (W1, D2, L3).
• Charlton are yet to score at home before half time this season (W2).
• QPR are looking to avoid suffering consecutive league defeats for the first time since their four-match losing streak at the end of the 2025-26 season.

 

Prediction

Coming into this home match off the back of a disappointing first league loss of the season, Charlton now need to produce a response because they were just outplayed in a sloppy first-half effort at Stoke but deserve credit for tightening up in the second half despite lacking a clinical edge.

QPR meanwhile will be frustrated to had narrowly lost to Middlesbrough in a game where they just lacked that sharp final touch in an evenly-matched contest, but this is a big opportunity to bounce back and go top if they can rediscover their sparkle.

This London derby though feels really tough to call because if Charlton tighten up defensively and both teams find their final touches again, I can see a draw coming but it should be a proper feisty contest.

Prediction: Charlton 1-1 QPR

Result: Charlton 0-0 QPR