Three points separated Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers in the final EFL Championship standings last term.
The two rivals will open the 2019-20 EFL Championship season against one another and the result should be quite tellingly of just how the term will unfold for both teams.
Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers both go into the new term with relatively new managers. Stoke City appointed Nathan Jones in January and he oversaw an upturn in form.
⏪ Last season✍️ Summer business👔 The gaffer⭐️ Star man🙋♂️ Rising star🎞 Classic campaignTime to focus on #SCFC.#STOQPR— Queens Park Rangers FC (@QPR) August 2, 2019
⏪ Last season✍️ Summer business👔 The gaffer⭐️ Star man🙋♂️ Rising star🎞 Classic campaignTime to focus on #SCFC.#STOQPR
Jones has now had his first offseason with the Potters and it should do wonders for their play in the new season. The manager shed several players who had worn out their welcomes at the Bet365 Stadium.
Geoff Cameron, Charlie Adam, and Darren Fletcher were all released at the end of 2018-19. The moves should give Stoke City a breath of fresh air and chance to overcome the issues that plagued them previously.
Queens Park Rangers appointed Mark Warburton as manager this summer. Warburton must guide a team with little in the way of transfer funds back up the table and towards the promotion playoffs.
Fourteen players have arrived at Loftus Road with the club paying transfer fees for just two of them. One player that has joined is former Stoke City player Cameron, who is capable of playing in both defence and midfield.
Long-serving Bournemouth winger Marc Pugh arrived at Queens Park Rangers this summer as well. He should provide veteran leadership and goals for the club.
Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers met last season for the first time since both played in the Premier League in 2015. Both fixtures ended in draws.
Their first match saw both sides score in an exciting 2-2 match. However, the follow up fixture was a nil-nil draw played at Loftus Road.
Stoke City will be without veteran defender Ryan Shawcross. The defender broke his leg in preseason and is recovering from surgery. According to Jones, Shawcross’s injury isn’t as bad as first believed, which is good news for the club.
Unfortunately, new defensive signing Liam Lindsay is suspended for the weekend. The club will have their other new defensive signings Stephen Ward and Tommy Smith available.
Queens Park Rangers will be without midfielder Massimo Luongo due to time off for personal reasons.
Warburton has a lack of firepower at Queens Park Rangers. The club’s lack of quality strikers will doom them to a poor weekend at Stoke City.
The home side will pick up a valuable opening day win and should be able to shut out Queens Park Rangers on the day. Expect over 1.5 goals in Stoke City’s win.