QPR Quandary To Continue Against The Reds

Neither side have reached expectations in the early part of the season, can QPR or Liverpool get three points to kick-start their campaign?

Form
Just one win and one draw from seven Premier League fixtures see Queens Park Rangers at the very foot of the Premier League table heading into this weekend’s games, with considerable pressure mounting on manager Harry Redknapp. The former Spurs boss is now the clear odds on favourite in the betting for which Premier League manager will be the next to lose his job.

Rangers lost 2-0 at West Ham last time out, after previously going down 2-1 away to Southampton. Their home record is, however, a little more encouraging having picked up their only four points of the season in their last two matches at Loftus Road – a 1-0 win against Sunderland and 2-2 draw with Stoke.

Charlie Austin is the club’s top scorer with two goals, while the Rs have failed to find the back of the net in five of their eight games this season in all competitions.

Liverpool managed to get another three points on the board in their final game before the international break, but the 2-1 victory over West Brom came following a run of four games without a win in all competitions. Brendan Rodgers’ side have lost three of their four away games this season and sit 9th in the Premier League table with only 10 points on the board.

In the absence of Daniel Sturridge through injury, Raheem Sterling has become the club’s top scorer with three goals, but two of those goals came in the opening month of the season and he only has one in his previous 11 games for club and country.

Team News
Joey Barton missed the West Ham game through injury, but should return this week following two weeks rest. Jordon Mutch has been ruled out for “a couple more weeks” by his manager, while Alejandro Faurlin is a long-term absentee.

Liverpool must do without long-terms absentees John Flanagan and Mamadou Sakho, while Dejan Lovren is a doubt after he withdrew from Croatia’s squad with an abdominal injury. Joe Allen, Emre Can and Daniel Sturridge could all return, however, for a timely boost for the Reds.

Head-to-Head
Liverpool have won five and lost just once in the last six games against QPR and won 3-0 on their last visit to Loftus Road thanks to goals from Luis Suarez (2) and Daniel Agger. Philippe Coutinho scored the only goal of the game in the most recent meeting between the clubs, at Anfield towards the very end of the 2013/14 season.

Recommended Bets

We’ve seen very little so far this season to suggest that QPR are capable of upsetting the odds and picking up the win at a price of 5/1.

And although I’ve been reluctant to back Liverpool at odds on prices this season, with Daniel Sturridge back in the side, they just about justify being an 8/13 shot here.

A play on the goals market is the order of the day though, where we can back Under 2.5 goals at a price of 6/5. Neither side have been particularly fluent in front of goal this season and with Redknapp needing to avoid defeat in order to keep his job he is likely to set his team out with a defensive mindset.