Poor old QPR can’t seem to pick up a win for love nor money at the moment as the London club succumbed to yet another defeat on Saturday, leaving Steve McClaren’s side in a lowly 18th place on the Championship ladder.
A 2-0 defeat away at Middlesbrough on the weekend became QPR’s seventh league defeat on the trot as McClaren seems to have run out of ideas and although they still have a nine point cushion above the relegation zone, this upcoming fixture against Leeds United could determine McClaren’s immediate future at the club.
During this disastrous spell of results, QPR have conceded a total of 18 goals and scored 8 in reply and although they’ll be returning to Loftus Road for this clash with Leeds United, The R’s have also lost their last three on home turf with defeats to Preston North End, Birmingham City and West Brom.
It’s a far cry from QPR’s earlier form in the season which saw the hosts register seven wins from 10 matches from end of August through to Boxing Day, but if it hadn’t been for that impressive period, QPR would more than likely be in deep trouble at this stage.
Nevertheless, it’s been entertaining viewing with no shortage of goals at Loftus Road this season with 10 of QPR’s 16 home matches resulting in over 2.5 goals.
Leeds United overcame another hurdle on Saturday afternoon when they secured a vital three points towards their claims for automatic promotion by beating Bolton Wanderers 2-1 at Elland Road, although they dropped down to 3rd place behind Sheffield United due to an inferior goal difference.
Leeds have stuttered and stumbled in recent weeks as they’ve collected wins against Rotherham United, Swansea City and Bolton Wanderers, but have also fallen to defeats against Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and Norwich City since the turn of the year.
Away from home, Leeds have produced a mixed bag of results with the losses at Forest and Stoke, but have also registered wins at Aston Villa and Rotherham United as well as a useful point in a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.
Goals have also followed Leeds on their travels too as 10 of their 16 away matches have also seen the over 2.5 goals mark achieved, and the visitors have the added incentive of knowing that all three points at Loftus Road on Tuesday night would see them leapfrog both Sheffield United and Norwich City and move top of the Championship once more.
QPR (and McClaren) desperately need a win while Leeds can move top of the league - there should be a few goals in this clash.