QPR and Burnley meet at Loftus Road on Tuesday evening, with the hosts keen to bounce back from a heavy defeat and the visitors keen to get out of the relegation zone.
QPR will be eager to respond after a 4-1 defeat at Southampton on Saturday, which followed an emphatic 5-0 home victory over Swansea City a week earlier. Richard Kone scored four goals across those two matches, having struck a hat-trick against the Welsh side.
However, there are significant issues in the team, especially with how many goals they are conceding of late. So, manager Julien Stephan will be keen to shore up his backline. QPR are in the running for promotion this season and sit just two points off the playoffs, meaning they could move into the top eight if results go their way on Tuesday.
Burnley, meanwhile, remain in the bottom three after a goalless draw with Portsmouth in Fabio Celestini’s first match in charge. The Clarets were frustrated by their opponents’ defensive display, with Portsmouth’s backline taking a total of 18 shots as they looked to pick up a first home win of the season.
Celestini praised his side’s “spirit” after the game, calling the performance a “first step but not enough”. That clean sheet was an improvement after Burnley were thumped 4-1 by Lincoln in what proved to be Nicky Hayen’s final game in charge, but they must start to make dramatic changes.
Burnley have managed just one victory all season, but could move out of the relegation zone if they win and Watford lose on Tuesday. The new manager will hope that a fresh start can spark a turnaround, though results have been hard to come by for a side that has shown flashes of quality without consistency.
Team News & Tactics
Queens Park Rangers
QPR will be hoping Richard Kone can continue his good form up front alongside Paul Smyth. Kwame Poku and Harvey Vale are expected to start wide, while Glen Kamara and Jonathan Varane should continue their midfield partnership.
Julien Stephan is expected to keep faith with the back four that started against Southampton, with Pierce Charles in goal and Kealey Adamson, Ronnie Edwards, Jimmy Dunne, and Boy Kemper forming the defensive unit.
The hosts will look to dominate possession and create chances through the wide areas, with Kone and Smyth providing the cutting edge up front.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Charles; Adamson, Edwards, Dunne, Kemper; Poku, Varane, Kamara, Vale; Smyth, Kone
Burnley
Burnley will be keen for veteran striker Jamie Vardy to find some form, having managed just one goal in six games so far, and he is expected to lead the line. Largie Ramazani and Marcus Edwards could continue out wide, with Andreas Hountondji, Reo Hatate, and Josh Laurent set to start in midfield.
Fabio Celestini is likely to stick with a similar setup to the one that earned a point against Portsmouth, with Gregoire Coudert in goal and Kyle Walker, Hjalmar Ekdal, Igor Julio, and Lucas Pires forming the back four.
The new boss will hope that Vardy’s experience and the creativity of Marcus Edwards and Ramazani can unlock a QPR defence that has been leaking goals.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Coudert; Walker, Ekdal, Julio, Pires; Hatate, Hountondji; Edwards, Laurent, Ramazani; Vardy
Key Stats
- QPR have scored 10 goals in their last four league outings.
- QPR have also conceded eight goals in that same period.
- Burnley have managed just one win all season.
- Burnley are currently 22nd in the Championship, two points adrift of safety.
Player to Watch
Richard Kone
The QPR striker has been in sensational form, scoring four goals across his last two matches, including a hat-trick against Swansea. His movement and finishing have been the driving force behind the Hoops’ attacking surge, and he will be the main threat to a Burnley defence that has only just kept its first clean sheet in weeks.
Given the struggles at Burnley, this game could prove the right platform for Kone to continue his scoring spree, as the Clarets’ defence will certainly treat him as a big problem heading into the game.
Prediction
QPR 3-1 Burnley
QPR are an unpredictable team at the moment, while Burnley have entered a new era under Fabio Celestini. However, the hosts should have enough attacking quality to beat a Burnley side that has only picked up one win all season.
Burnley are in a state of disarray with their performances on the pitch and matters off it, as QPR could find considerable joy with their in-form attacker like Kone to further add misery to the Clarets’ season.