QPR vs Middlesbrough Prediction & Betting Tips - Championship

Prediction published on 07/03/2023, 08:55  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 09/03/2024 at 02:00 in Championship Prediction

Queens Park Rangers will continue their battle to avoid the drop in the Championship when they play host to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon. The hosts are 19th in the league standings, while the visitors are 12th. After looking likely to be relegated for the majority of the first half of the season, QPR have found some much-needed form since the middle of January. They played out a 2-2 draw in their last match, marking their fourth league match unbeaten following three consecutive wins, including a 2-1 victory over league leaders Leicester City. Over their last nine league games, QPR have only suffered one defeat, away to Stoke City. With those results, The Hoops have pulled themselves out of the relegation zone, albeit by the slenderest of margins, just one point above Stoke City, who are the first side below the dotted line. The hosts have recorded four wins, six draws, and eight losses in 18 Championship matches at home this season and are currently unbeaten in their last five (W2 D3 L0). QPR won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in September and are the marginal favourites in this one. 

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread as they enter this match with 47 points after 35 matches and are already ten points behind the top six sides in the league standings. They claimed an important 3-1 win at home against Norwich City last week to avoid a third consecutive defeat following losses to Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City in their two preceding matches. In league matches away from home this season, Middlesbrough have accumulated seven wins, two draws, and eight losses. Boro have struggled in defence on the road as well, failing to keep a single clean sheet in their last ten away games while conceding 18 during that time. They will have to be at their best here to overcome an improving QPR.