Looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time in the second tier this season, Queens Park Rangers will welcome relegation rivals Oxford United to Loftus Road on Wednesday night for a Championship clash.
The R's managed a surprise success over free-scoring Norwich City on the weekend in the capital, whilst the U's domestic adventures were impacted by Storm Darragh at Plymouth Argyle's Devon home.
Match preview
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Since the 2-0 defeat to Premier League-chasing Leeds United on November 9, Queens Park Rangers have strung together a four-game unbeaten run in the Championship, earning wins against Cardiff City and Norwich, as well as sharing the honours with Stoke City and Watford.
Saturday afternoon at Loftus Road saw the R's secure their first home victory of the Championship campaign as they performed admirably to keep the division's leading marksman Borja Sainz at bay, with a strike from Jimmy Dunne and a brace from 19-year-old Rayan Kolli sealing a three-goal thumping of the Canaries.
Tasting success in front of their own supporters for the first time at the 10th attempt, QPR have propelled themselves out of the relegation places in the Championship standings and into 20th position, one point above Wayne Rooney's out-of-form Plymouth in the drop zone.
After shipping a hatful of goals against Middlesbrough and Leeds United at the beginning of November, Marti Cifuentes's troops have found a steely stubbornness in recent contests, with a centre-back pairing of Liam Morrison and Steve Cook helping goalkeeper Paul Nardi to earn three straight clean sheets.
Despite a convincing battering of their East Anglian visitors on Saturday afternoon, QPR are still one of the worst performers across home matches in the Championship to date, with the capital club collecting just eight points from 10 fixtures - only Hull City (7) have won fewer points in front of their respective fanbase.
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Oxford United will take to the field for competitive action on Wednesday night for the first time in over a week following a last-minute change of schedule on Saturday afternoon, when their Championship battle at Plymouth's Home Park was cancelled due to Storm Darragh.
As a result, the U's have been afforded an extended period to twiddle their thumbs and reflect on a share of the spoils with Millwall at the Kassam Stadium on November 30, when Tyler Goodrham's third of the second-tier campaign cancelled out Japhet Tanganga's opener for the visiting Lions.
After posting some reassuring home victories over the likes of Norwich, Preston North End and Stoke near the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, Oxford are now sliding towards the heat of the survival scrap after a run of just the single win across their last 13 league clashes.
Ahead of their midweek trip to West London and the home of the R's, Des Buckingham's troops are currently occupying 19th spot in the Championship table, level on points with Wednesday's opponents QPR and a mammoth 13 points behind Blackburn Rovers in the lowest of the playoff spots.
Netting a quartet of strikes during the opening weeks of the Championship term, a decline in Mark Harris's attacking antics have correlated with Oxford's collective struggles, with the Wales international losing his spot in the XI amid a 14-game drought in front of goal.
Team News
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QPR suffered another blow to their attacking armoury on Saturday afternoon, when Slovenia international Zan Celar was forced off after 13 minutes with a knock.
Replacing the 25-year-old at the tip of the R's XI and bagging a brace, young Algerian Kolli should have done enough to earn a start, especially with Michael Frey on the sidelines because of a calf issue.
One of the lowest scorers in the division, Cifuentes's side are missing the creative talents of Ilias Chair (knee) and Brest loanee Karamoko Dembele (knock).
Scheduled to make his return to the matchday squad on the weekend before news of the Plymouth postponement, Oxford's Kyle Edwards could feature for the first time since picking up a muscular injury in early October.
With the birth of his child imminent, Goodrham's availability on Wednesday cannot be guaranteed, although the likes of Joseph Bennett (ankle), Louie Sibley (ankle) and Siriki Dembele (ankle) are definitely sidelined.
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Morrison, Paal; Varane, Morgan, Smyth, Madsen, Saito; Kolli
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh; Phillips, El Mizouni, Brannagan, Placheta, Goodhram; Scarlett
We say: Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Oxford United
After the much-needed home success over Norwich on the weekend, QPR will be viewing the visit of Oxford as a major opportunity to secure consecutive wins, despite a host of attacking absentees.
The U's will be fresh and raring to fight in the capital after Saturday's cancellation, but we feel that Buckingham's troops will suffer defeat at Loftus Road.
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Carter White
