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Kick-off: Friday, 1 April @19:45 GMT
Venue: Loftus Road Stadium (London)
Live Stream: fuboTV (US), bet365 (non-US)
Head to head record
Middlesbrough vs QPR 1-0 (2015/2016 Championship)
Middlesbrough vs QPR 1-3 (2013/2014 Championship)
QPR vs Middlesbrough 2-0 (2013/2014 Championship)
Middlesbrough vs QPR 0-3 (2010/2011 Championship)
QPR vs Middlesbrough 3-0 (2010/2011 Championship)
QPR vs Middlesbrough prediction
Loftus Road Stadium will host the match between Queens Park Rangers and Middlesbrough. The Hoops are eyeing a place in the Championship play-offs and this has to go down as a must-win game for the hosts.
Now or never
Seeing that QPR are 11 points behind the play-offs berth, they have no other choice but to go all guns blazing at Middlesbrough when the two teams take on each other at Loftus Road Stadium on Friday night. The Hoops are eyeing their fourth consecutive win at home and it has to be noted that they outplayed the likes of Birmingham City, Derby County and Brentford in previous three home fixtures in the English second tier. The capital club head into the game following a 1-1 draw at Preston, but they need to pick up all three points from Friday’s match against Boro if they are to keep their hopes of making it to the Championship play-offs alive. Junior Hoilett was on the international duty with Canada, but he should be fit to play against Middlesbrough and all eyes will be on pacey attacker when the two teams take on each other in the opening match of day 39 of the 2015/2016 Premier League campaign.
Armand Traore missed the Preston game with injury, but he should recover in time to face Middlesbrough. Coach Hasselbaink is unlikely to make too many changes to the team that faced Preston.
Three straight defeats on the road
Following back-to-back defeats to the likes of Rotherham United and Charlton Athletic, Middlesbrough recorded a 1-0 win over Hull City in their last home fixture, but you should have in mind that the Boro are on a three-game losing run on the road, with the team scoring no more than one goal in those matches. Aitor Karanka’s men are eager to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League and a win over QPR could see the visitors overtake Brighton in second place in the standings. Middlesbrough will certainly give 100% to put an end to their three-match losing run on the travels, but they will have to be at their sharpest if they are to spoil QPR’s party at Loftus Road. David Nugent came as a substitute and scored a late winner in the 1-0 victory over Hull City and he is widely expected to lead the line for the hosts this time out, meaning that Jordan Rhodes should drop to the bench.
Stewart Downing and David Nugent are both likely to be recalled to the starting XI. Coach Aitor Karanka has no fresh injury worries and he should stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation.
Quick Facts
- Queens Park are after their fourth consecutive clean sheet
- QPR scored 1+ goals in each of their previous nine home games
- Middlesbrough scored only one goal in last three away games
- Under 2.5 goals were scored in seven of Middlesbrough’s last eight away matches
- QPR recorded four wins over Boro in previous five meetings between the two teams
QPR vs Middlesbrough betting tip
Both QPR and Middlesbrough are eager to pick up all three points from the match, but given that the Boro have been struggling on the travels of late and considering that the Hoops are eyeing their fourth consecutive clean sheet in the Championship, under 2.5 goals bet appears on the cards. When the two teams met at Riverside Stadium in the reverse fixture Aitor Karanka’s men recorded a 1-0 win over the Loftus Road Stadium outfit.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals
Odds: 1.55 (5/9) @Unibet
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Daily Specials
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| Premiership | W'Ham, Arsenal, City, L'pool 30/1 | Claim | Saturday |
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| Arsenal v Watford | Arsenal to win is 3/1 | Claim | Saturday |
| L'pool v Spurs | Liverpool at 7/1 or Spurs at 10/1 | Claim | Saturday |
| Barca v Real | Barcelona to win is 10/1 | Claim | Saturday |
| Barca v Real | Messi, Suarez or Neymar to score is 3/1 | Claim | Saturday |
| W'Ham v Palace | West Ham to win is 10/1 | Claim | Saturday |
| Leicester v Saints | Leicester to win is 7/1 | Claim | Sunday |
| Man Utd v Everton | Man Utd to win is 6/1 | Claim | Sunday |
