Birmingham v QPR predictions, betting odds and tips: Blues should just hold the edge

Where to watch Birmingham v QPR

Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Birmingham to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 6-4 Coral

Birmingham v QPR odds

Birmingham 10-11
QPR 10-3
Draw 13-5

Odds correct at time of publishing

Birmingham v QPR team news

Birmingham
Lee Buchanan looks set to return at left-back following a ban, but Ethan Laird is ruled out with a hamstring injury.

QPR
Lyndon Dykes is looking for a start after his late goal against Swansea on Wednesday, but midfielder Jack Colback is still suspended.

Birmingham v QPR predictions

Successive defeats to Watford and Preston may lead some to conclude that Birmingham's fine Championship start has fallen off the rails, but a home clash with QPR looks a good opportunity for the Blues to get back on track.

John Eustace's side, perhaps buoyed by the club takeover that was completed in the summer, were unbeaten in their first five matches of the campaign and have earned seven points from a possible nine at St Andrew's, where the feelgood factor has kicked in after years of treading water in the second tier.

And it would be easy to get carried away by their recent defeats as they were sunk by two late goals at Vicarage Road and then took the lead against Preston before falling to a 2-1 loss to the pacesetters.

Both of QPR's wins have come on the road, at struggling Middlesbrough and West Brom, but they have fallen short since the international break with a 3-1 home loss to Sunderland and a 1-1 draw against Swansea at Loftus Road, where they were bailed out by a Lyndon Dykes injury-time equaliser.

So it is a big test for QPR to triumph at St Andrew's and while they have scored in six of their last seven away games, there may not be many goals on this occasion.

Rangers are averaging just a goal a game and Millwall are the only team outside the bottom six who have scored fewer than Birmingham's tally of eight.

So take the Blues to claim their third home win of the season but don't expect a classic.

Key stat

Each of Birmingham's last 12 Championship home games have seen three goals or fewer.

Probable teams

Birmingham (4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Buchanan; Sunjic, Bielik; Burke, Miyoshi, Anderson; Stansfield
Subs: Emmanuel, Bacuna, Hogan, Gardner, James, Roberts, Khela

QPR (3-4-3): Begovic; Kakay, Cook, Fox; Smyth, Dozzell, Field, Paal; Willock, Dykes, Chair
Subs: Armstrong, Kelman, Kolli, Dixon-Bonner, Larkeche, Clarke-Salter, Adomah

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