QPR play host to relegation candidates Rotherham United when the two teams clash at Loftus Road on Wednesday night, with both teams needing the three points for different reasons.
Firstly, QPR were held to a 0-0 draw at home by fellow Championship strugglers Stoke City on the weekend but this meant that QPR are now unbeaten in their last two home matches on the trot in the second tier, following an earlier 1-0 win over automatic promotion contenders, Leeds United.
This may not sound like ground breaking news but The R’s had previously suffered three defeats on the trot on home turf in the Championship with losses to Preston North End 4-1, Birmingham City 4-3 and West Brom 3-2, while overall, QPR have managed just one win from their last 12 matches.
8 of these last 12 matches have seen the hosts on the end of the losing side, so manager Steve McClaren will be urging his players to grab all three points here against an ordinary away outfit in the shape of Rotherham United, as McClaren’s time at the helm may be up sooner rather than later unless QPR can start winning again.
QPR have won just 1 of their last 6 at home, but the goals have been flying in on a regular basis10 of QPR’s 18 home matches have resulted in over 2.5 goals.
Onto Rotherham United and the visitors still remain without an away win this season as they were beaten 2-0 at Bramall Lane by Yorkshire rivals, Sheffield United, which ended a promising looking run of six matches without defeat for Paul Warne’s side.
However, 5 of these 6 matches previous matches prior to defeat to Sheffield United were draws with Millwall, Wigan Athletic, Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading. The Millers are just one point adrift of Millwall and safety too, so there’s everything to play for from the visitors perspective on Wednesday night.
It’s looking increasingly like any three of the following five teams of Reading, Wigan Athletic, Millwall, Rotherham United and Bolton Wanderers will be joining Ipswich Town in League One next season, but Rotherham may well fancy their chances of turning over a QPR side that’s low on confidence at Loftus Road on Wednesday night.
This might just spur QPR into action here, but Rotherham’s need is greater and we could see a few goals as a result.