MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 12:26:03| >> :600:105021:105021:
[monks data]
QPR logo
Championship | Gameweek 28
Jan 20, 2024 at 3pm UK
Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium
Millwall logo

QPR
2 - 0
Millwall

Chair (27'), Armstrong (85')
Cifuentes (33')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Mitchell (32'), Flemming (85')

Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Queens Park Rangers and Millwall, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Aiming to avoid four-straight defeats at the beginning of 2024, Queens Park Rangers welcome London rivals Millwall to MATRADE Loftus Road for a Championship clash on Saturday afternoon.

The R's are embroiled in a battle for their second-tier status at the bottom of the league standings, while the Lions have moved away from danger in recent weeks under relatively-new management.


Match preview

Queens Park Rangers manager Marti Cifuentes on January 6, 2024© Reuters

Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road troubles continued last weekend against Hertfordshire outfit Watford in the Championship, as a Jake Livermore double in the second half condemned the hosts to another defeat at their West London home, despite a late consolation from Scotland international Lyndon Dykes.

Following a promising four-game unbeaten run near the beginning of Marti Cifuentes's spell as QPR head coach, the R's are now eight games without a win across the Championship and FA Cup since 16 December, meaning there was little festive or New Year's cheer for Saturday's hosts.

Collecting two points from the last 21 available in the league, QPR are currently occupying 23rd position in the second-tier standings, five points behind Darren Moore's Huddersfield Town in the relative safety of 21st, and just three points ahead of bottom side Rotherham United.

The attacking talents of Ilias Chair and Chris Willock will be imperative as the R's look to avoid third-tier football next season, with the forward duo often being the sole providers of creativity in the forward line, combining for nine goal contributions so far this term.

QPR's poor record at Loftus Road extends further back than the three consecutive losses at the beginning of 2024, with Saturday's hosts earning just nine points from their 13 home league matches to date, six points fewer than any other side in the Championship, scoring on only 12 occasions.

Millwall manager Joe Edwards on November 29, 2023© Reuters

Millwall's five-game unbeaten run in the Championship came to a disappointing end at The Den last Saturday, when Michael Carrick's promotion-chasing Middlesbrough arrived in the capital and produced a spirited comeback to escape to their Teesside home with maximum points.

Lions' wing-back Joe Bryan knows a fair bit about earning promotion from this level thanks to his time at Fulham, and the 30-year-old had the hosts ahead after 10 minutes, but strikes from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and substitute Marcus Forss turned the game on its head for the visitors.

After seriously pushing for a top-six finish under Gary Rowett last season, Millwall have the remit of avoiding a relegation battle with Joe Edwards in charge this term, and the Lions sit 16th in the Championship table, possessing a comforting 10-point advantage over 22nd-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

The eight-point gap between Edwards's side and sixth-placed Coventry City is by no means unassailable, but the Lions will need their attacking players to start hitting the peaks of last season, with Tom Bradshaw and Zian Flemming netting just eight goals between them this term after scoring 32 combined in 2022-23.

Addressing a lack of options in defence, Millwall confirmed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Japhet Tanganga on Thursday as the club's first January arrival, with the 24-year-old bringing Premier League and Champions League experience from his first-team days in North London.

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:


Queens Park Rangers form (all competitions):


Millwall Championship form:


Millwall form (all competitions):



Team News

Queens Park Rangers' (QPR) Lyndon Dykes celebrates scoring their second goal with Sinclair Armstrong and Ziyad Larkeche on January 6, 2024© Reuters

QPR will be without the services of attacker Rayan Kolli until later this month, with the 18-year-old sustaining a leg injury in the loss against Cardiff City on New Year's Day.

Despite failing to find the net last time out, Irishman Sinclair Armstrong proved a real handful for the Watford backline and could be rewarded with another start here.

Sam Field has been a regular fixture in the R's engine room since the arrival of Cifuentes, and the former West Bromwich Albion youngster could be joined by Elijah Dixon-Bonner in the middle of the park.

Millwall are set to be without Bradshaw for around five weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained in training, meaning Kevin Nisbet will lead the line for the visitors on the weekend.

Better news arrives in the form of George Saville's availability, who has now served his three-game suspension for a red card and could come straight into the XI.

George Honeyman was forced off in the closing stages of the Boro defeat with complaints of tightness in his hamstring, but subsequent scans have revealed there is no damage to the area, so the 29-year-old should be fit to feature at Loftus Road.


Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Cannon, Dunne, Clarke-Salter, Paal; Field, Dixon-Bonner, Willock, Dykes, Chair; Armstrong

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Sarkic; McNamara, Harding, Cooper; Longman, Saville, Mitchell, Bryan; Watmore, Flemming, Nisbet


SM words green background

We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Millwall

QPR have been woeful at Loftus Road this season and in recent weeks especially, but we feel that the likes of Chair and Willock could be able to fire the hosts to victory this weekend.

Millwall have lost back-to-back games over the past fortnight, and we believe that their losing run will continue in a highly-anticipated London derby on Saturday.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a home win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home Win:data


ID:534172:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect15070:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: QPR vs Millwall

Queens Park Rangers
34.3%
Draw
17.1%
Millwall
48.6%
35
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga in training in October 2022
Read Next:
Millwall confirm Japhet Tanganga loan signing from Tottenham
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland139222391429
2Leeds UnitedLeeds137512281426
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd138321661025
4Burnley136521761123
5Watford137152221122
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom13562148621
7Millwall135441612419
8Blackburn RoversBlackburn135441614219
9Bristol City134721717019
10Norwich CityNorwich134632318518
11Middlesbrough135351415-118
12Swansea CitySwansea13445109116
13Coventry CityCoventry134361717015
14Derby CountyDerby134361617-115
15Hull City133641517-215
16Stoke CityStoke134361518-315
17Cardiff CityCardiff134361319-615
18Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds134361524-915
19Oxford UnitedOxford Utd133551617-114
20Preston North EndPreston133551420-614
21Luton TownLuton133371521-612
22Plymouth ArgylePlymouth133371325-1212
23Queens Park RangersQPR131751119-810
24Portsmouth131661326-139


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!