MX23RW : Thursday, March 21 17:21:11| >> :600:557054:557054:
[monks data]
Cardiff City logo
Championship | Gameweek 2
Aug 12, 2023 at 3pm UK
Cardiff City Stadium
QPR logo

Cardiff
1 - 2
QPR

Ugbo (78')
Adams (25'), Bowler (83')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Armstrong (34'), Paal (65')
Armstrong (27'), Adomah (90')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Queens Park Rangers - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Cardiff City will be looking to record their first win of the Championship season when Queens Park Rangers visit the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Bluebirds started their campaign with an exciting draw at Leeds United, while QPR were well beaten by Valerien Ismael's Watford at Vicarage Road.


Match preview

Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut reacts on August 6, 2023© Reuters

Cardiff travelled to recently-relegated Leeds on Sunday afternoon and returned to South Wales with a very respectable point, although it could have been so much better for the Bluebirds.

Some excellent counter-attacking play had the visitors two goals ahead at Elland Road, with new signings Josh Bowler and Ike Ugbo getting on the scoresheet, but second-half strikes from Liam Cooper and Crysencio Summerville forced a share of the spoils.

Wednesday night saw Erol Bulut's side commence their EFL Cup journey against Colchester United, with goals from Rubin Colwill and Kion Etete not enough to prevent the game from going to penalty kicks - ones that Cardiff prevailed in to book their place in round two.

Aaron Ramsey has been the marquee signing for the Welsh side so far this summer, although the arrivals of second-tier stalwarts Karlan Grant and Yakou Meite should not be underappreciated.

The Bluebirds really struggled to pose an attacking threat in front of their own supporters last term, making the net ripple just 20 times in 23 home league matches, with only Wigan Athletic managing fewer at home in last year's Championship.

Queens Park Rangers manager Gareth Ainsworth before the match on April 22, 2023© Reuters

With an EFL Cup clash with Norwich City scheduled for Tuesday night, QPR have had a full week to dwell on a massively worrying start to their Championship season at Watford last Saturday.

Gareth Ainsworth may have assumed that his side had got their annual thumping out of the way in a 5-0 loss at Oxford United on July 29, but that hope was quickly destroyed when Tom Dele-Bashiru scored after 40 seconds at Vicarage Road for the Hornets.

Imran Louza, Matheus Martins and Vakoun Issouf Bayo all got on the scoresheet before the half-time interval to put the game beyond the visiting R's, with the second period turning into a formality in Hertfordshire.

QPR stumbled to Championship safety following the sacking of Neil Critchley in the middle of the 2022-23 term, and the West Londoners have only tasted victory once at Loftus Road in 2023.

Saturday's visitors are one of the favourites for relegation to League One this season, and not many of their supporters will be expecting a result in South Wales against Cardiff on Saturday.

Cardiff City Championship form:
  • D


Cardiff City form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W


Queens Park Rangers Championship form:
  • L


Team News

Cardiff City's Joe Ralls reacts as he is substituted after sustaining an injury on August 6, 2023© Reuters

Cardiff could be without the services of influential midfielder Joe Ralls on Saturday after the 29-year-old was forced off in the first half at Elland Road in his side's Championship opener.

Ebou Adams was thrown into the midfield battle alongside Ryan Wintle at Leeds, and that duo should start the contest with a wounded QPR side this weekend.

Jak Alnwick produced a very impressive display in Yorkshire as the Bluebirds came under intense pressure from Daniel Farke's men, and with first-choice goalkeeper Ryan Allsopp recovering from injury, the 30-year-old should retain this place between the sticks.

QPR have moved quickly in the transfer market this week to address their injury crisis at centre-back, with Steve Cook signing a two-year deal following his departure from Nottingham Forest.

Both Jimmy Dunne and Jake Clarke-Salter remain sidelined ahead of their team's trip to South Wales, meaning it will likely be a partnership of Cook and Morgan Fox at the heart of the visitors' defence.

Chris Willock has been a standout performer for the R's over the past two years, and the former Arsenal youngster should start ahead of Charlie Kelman this weekend.


Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Ng, Goutas, McGuiness, O'Dowda; Adams, Wintle, Bowler, Ramsey, Grant; Ugbo

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Kakay, Fox, Cook, Paal; Dozzell, Field, Chair, Willock, Armstrong; Dykes


SM words green background

We say: Cardiff City 3-1 Queens Park Rangers

Cardiff will be full of confidence after their performance against Leeds last time out, and the home faithful will be expecting maximum points against an out-of-form QPR side.

The R's need a decent performance to ease worries of a fruitless campaign, but we cannot envisage them getting anything from their trip to South Wales this weekend.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


ID:520875:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect11912:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Cardiff vs QPR

Cardiff City
75.0%
Draw
12.5%
Queens Park Rangers
12.5%
32
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
General view of Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road taken May 2015
Read Next:
Queens Park Rangers: Transfer ins and outs - Summer 2023
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!