There is likely to be something of a subdued atmosphere when Queens Park Rangers travel to Oakwell on Saturday, with hosts Barnsley now guaranteed to be playing League One football next season.

The Tykes were consigned to relegation from the Championship at the hands of Middlesbrough last weekend, with two goals in second-half stoppage time helping Boro to a 3-1 victory in a match that Barnsley needed to win.

That made it three defeats on the trot for Danny Wilson's side, leaving them five points adrift of safety going into the final day of the season.

After such a big disappointment it will undoubtedly be hard for Barnsley's players to pick themselves up for Saturday's encounter, especially considering Wilson's admission that there will be a clearout in the summer.

However, they will still be keen to avoid the indignity of finishing bottom of the table, and they would need to equal or better Yeovil Town's result against Middlesbrough to achieve that.

The hosts will also be keen to put on a show for their beleaguered fans having lost four and drawn one of their last five home matches, failing to score a single goal in that time.

Both Jack Hunt and Emmanuel Frimpong are unlikely to feature due to injuries, while Wilson could also be thinking of experimenting ahead of next season.

QPR, meanwhile, are bidding to exit the league from the other end having secured fourth spot in the table and a place in the playoffs. They are likely to face Wigan Athletic in the semi-finals and will be eyeing a victory to send them into the post-season on a high.

Promotion to the top flight was expected before the campaign began, so if Harry Redknapp's side were to fail to achieve that goal then it would have to go down as a disappointing season.

The Hoops have struggled to find any sort of consistency over the last three months, however, winning six, losing six and drawing four of their 16 matches since the start of February.

That is a record that they will need to improve if they are to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, and defeat to a team that has already been relegated would do their confidence no favours.

Redknapp will be particularly concerned with his side's away form having seen them lose seven of their last nine matches on the road, scoring just six goals in the process.

However, the return to fitness of top scorer Charlie Austin has come just in time for QPR, and he is expected to lead the line once more this weekend.

Recent form

Barnsley: LLWLLL

QPR: LLWLWD

Possible starting lineups

Barnsley: Steele; Etuhu, Mvoto, Nyatanga, Kennedy; McCourt, Cywka, Dawson, Lawrence, Jennings; O'Grady

QPR: Green; Simpson, Dunne, Onuoha, Hill; Barton, Carroll; Hoilett, Morrison, Benayoun; Austin

Sports Mole says: 1-2

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