Fulham v QPR: Sky Bet Championship betting preview, free tip & where to watch

Football tips, best bets and predictions for Fulham v QPR in the Sky Bet Championship.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football and Main Event, 7.45pm Friday

Best bet

QPR +0.5 on Asian handicap
1pt 21-20 bet365

Team news

Fulham
Joe Bryan (back) and Maxime Le Marchand (unspecified injury) are doubts and Aleksandar Mitrovic is suspended. Harry Arter (calf) is back in contention.

QPR
Yoann Barbet (hamstring) has not recovered from injury and Geoff Cameron serves a one-game ban.

Match preview

Fulham have been outside the Sky Bet Championship's playoff places since the October international break and their frustration may grow when QPR visit Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker's side had hoped to mount a serious challenge for automatic promotion but they have struggled for consistency and are only two points ahead of QPR, who are operating with a vastly inferior budget.

Fulham flexed their financial muscle in the summer, handing a new five-year-deal to star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and clinching loan deals for Premier League attackers Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert.

But QPR had to do things differently, waiting until late in the window before tying up the key loan signing of target man Jordan Hugill from West Ham.

Despite the disparity in resources, there has been little to choose between the teams.

And QPR's chances of competing on fairly even terms this week are boosted significantly by the absence of Mitrovic, who serves a one-match ban after collecting five yellow cards.

Mitrovic tops the second-tier scoring charts with 12 goals and his influence on the Fulham team seems to be even bigger than it was in the Premier League last season.

He has scored seven of Fulham's last nine goals, including the winner when they dug out a hard-fought 1-0 success at Birmingham last time out.

Parker must come up with a different approach and is set to choose between selecting Bobby Reid as a false nine or handing a second league start of the season to Aboubakar Kamara.

Whichever option he decides, Mitrovic's immense power and presence will be sorely missed.

Without the Serbian, it should be much easier for QPR for to sit behind the ball, soak up the pressure and look to do some damage on the counter-attack.

Normally QPR are a possession-based side, but they have players who are suited to turning defence into attack.

Attacking midfielders Ilias Chair and Ebere Eze are excellent technicians with an eye for a killer pass and there are options up front with Hugill posing an aerial threat and Nahki Wells offering pace and movement.

QPR manager Mark Warburton has built a well-balanced side, capable of being effective with changing styles of play and formations.

They are not without hope of staying in the promotion race and could add to their tally at Fulham's expense.