West Brom v QPR predictions: Baggies may suffer another setback

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for West Brom v QPR in the Championship on Friday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football, 8pm Friday

Best bet

QPR or draw double chance
2pts 6-5 Hills

Team news

West Brom
Centre-backs Dara O'Shea and Matt Clarke are out. Kean Bryan could be available.

QPR
Stefan Johansen should be fit after cramping up against Bristol City. Left-back Lee Wallace is still out.

Match preview

QPR head up the M40 in good heart after seeing off Everton in the League Cup and Mark Warburton's road stars should be capable enough to avoid defeat at West Brom.

Rangers were outstanding in Tuesday night's 2-2 draw with Everton, a tie settled in the Championship side's favour via a shootout.

Charlie Austin, a Baggies old boy, was the star of the show and will be champing at the bit to show Valerien Ismael and the Hawthorns diehards what a top-class, powerful centre-forward he still is.

West Brom have lost the winning habit and are finding goals hard to come by. They welcome the Hoops on a run of three straight draws against Millwall, Derby and Preston, as they struggled to break down opponents who sat deep and invited them on.

They have scored three goals in the last four games – two by central defenders – and the long throws of Darnell Furlong are probably the best weapon right now for a side who seem to have been sussed by tier-two adversaries.

They are at least unbeaten while QPR have lost twice, though there was no disgrace in defeats at Bournemouth and they bossed the shot count three-to-one in their luckless 2-1 reverse at home to Bristol City.

They are, however, shipping too many goals, 12 in total – only three other teams have let in more.

Warburton is cute enough to know that if they go expansive against West Brom, given their defensive deficiencies, they'll be picked off, so expect something pragmatic from the visitors.

Key stat

QPR's eight league games have averaged 3.5 goals – only Reading's have averaged higher.

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