Middlesbrough head to Loftus Road full of confidence after Monday’s win over Birmingham and they will fancy their chances against an out-of-form QPR.
Boro Aim to Continue Promotion Push
Middlesbrough snapped a three-game winless sequence with Monday’s superb 3-1 victory at Birmingham and they can edge another step closer to the Premier League with a win at QPR.
The promotion race is approaching a key stage but there are no signs of nerves from the Boro players, who faced a stern test in the West Midlands and passed it with flying colours.
Boro boss Kim Hellberg made a bold call by switching to a back three and it soon paid dividends as left wingback Matt Targett grabbed a couple of superbly taken first half goals.
Hellberg’s side conceded just after half-time and had to withstand a period of intense pressure, but they restored a two-goal lead thanks to David Strelec’s superb header and saw out the game with full focus and composure.
The Teessiders are averaging 1.72 points per game on their travels and they are taking on QPR at the right time.
QPR’s Recent Struggles
Reaching the playoffs looks a tall order for the mid-table Londoners, who have lost back-to-back games to leave themselves ten points adrift of the top six.
Last Saturday’s home match against Sheffield United had the feel of a must-win game for both clubs, but QPR were slow out of the blocks, conceding twice in the opening 33 minutes, and slipped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat.
QPR will have other aspirations, including a desire to improve on last season’s 56-point tally, but they have the look like a side meandering towards an uneventful end to the campaign and are unlikely to throw a spanner into Boro’s winning machine.
- QPR have lost four of their last six home fixtures
- The Hoops have lost three of their last four matches
- QPR have kept one clean sheet in their last 13 home games
- Middlesbrough have won four of their last five away matches
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Ilias Chair and Nicolas Madsen are fitness doubts but Rhys Norrington-Davies should return after he was ineligible to face parent club Sheffield United last weekend.
Predicted line-up (4-4-2): Walsh; Edwards, Dunne, Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies; Vale, Varane, Hayden, Saito; Kolli, Kone.
Changes could be kept to a minimum after Monday’s 3-1 victory at Birmingham but injured pair Alfie Jones and Leo Castledine remain out of contention.
Predicted line-up (3-4-1-2): Brynn; Aylin
Both teams have scored in four of Boro’s last five fixtures.