Queens Park Rangers will hope to arrest their slump in form and rescue their Championship playoff hopes when they travel to Preston North End on Saturday.
The Hoops are currently five points adrift of the top six in ninth spot, while the 13th-placed Lilywhites saw their own playoff ambitions wane a while ago.
Match preview
QPR were sitting in third place only six weeks ago, but a horrendous run of form has put their chances of finishing in the top six in serious doubt.
A 1-0 defeat to fellow playoff contenders Sheffield United on Tuesday night was their sixth loss in seven matches and fourth in succession.
With a trip to third-placed Huddersfield Town to come on Good Friday, this fixture is surely a must-win for Mark Warburton's side or their promotion hopes could be all but over in the next week.
Only Fulham and Nottingham Forest have scored more away goals in the Championship this season than QPR, who have netted 26 times in 19 matches on the road.
The Hoops scored twice in the final 20 minutes as they came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against Preston at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium earlier in the season. It was only their third victory against the Lilywhites in their last 14 meetings.
Preston earned the bragging rights in the West Lancashire derby on Tuesday evening as Cameron Archer's goal in first-half stoppage time secured a 1-0 win over Blackpool.
It was a first victory in four matches for Ryan Lowe's side, who are realistically out of the playoff mix as they sit 10 points behind the top six with six games to play.
The Lilywhites have won their last two home matches and have only lost three times at Deepdale in the Championship this season. Only West Bromwich Albion have lost fewer games at home (two).
However, compared to their free-scoring opponents, Preston are frugal in the final third. Only four teams have scored fewer goals than the Lancashire outfit in the Championship this season.
- D
- W
- D
- L
- L
- W
- L
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
Team News
Preston defender Liam Lindsay remains suspended following his straight red card against Derby last weekend. The back three should therefore remain the same, but Bambo Diaby is an option if needed after recovering from illness.
Ched Evans missed the midweek win over Blackpool after hobbling off with a foot injury against Derby, but he is in contention to return.
Emil Riis Jakobsen is the Lilywhites' top scorer this season with 17 goals, but the Dane has netted just once in his last 12 appearances.
Stefan Johansen (injury) and Moses Odubajo (personal reasons) were both absent for QPR's defeat to Sheffield United on Tuesday, but may return in this game.
Rotation could be in order as Mark Warburton desperately searches for a winning formula again, with Charlie Austin and Sam McCallum pushing for starts.
Thirty-seven-year-old Kieran Westwood arrived last month amid the squad's goalkeeper injury crisis, but he has conceded six times in three games and is yet to keep a clean sheet.
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Iversen; van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes; Potts, Whiteman, Browne, Cunningham; Johnson; Archer, Riis
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Westwood; Dunne, Barbet, Dickie; Odubajo, Field, Johansen, McCallum; Chair; Dykes, Austin
We say: Preston North End 0-0 Queens Park Rangers
QPR are stuck in an almighty rut but against a Preston side with little to play for, they may have more of a chance of getting a point or three. It is rare that the Lilywhites roll over for teams though, so we think that this game will end level.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
