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

Queens Park Rangers will host Birmingham City on Tuesday evening with only goal difference separating the sides after nine Championship games.

QPR currently sit in 10th position, while their opponents occupy 12th place with both teams collecting 12 points this season.

Match preview

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QPR started the season with an impressive run of six league matches without defeat, but their fortunes have since changed for the worse.

They enter the fixture on Tuesday on the back of a three-game losing streak, after falling to three successive 2-1 defeats.

The most recent of those losses came on Friday when they travelled to The Hawthorns and the encounter started positively for The R's as Andre Gray scored the opener, but two goals from Karlan Ahearne-Grant in the final 15 minutes gave West Bromwich Albion all three points.

If Mark Warburton's side are to get the win on Tuesday then they will need to continue their impressive goalscoring run that has seen QPR score in every league game this season, with The R's netting on 17 occasions this term - only Fulham have scored more in the Championship.

QPR have only lost one league game at home this season and they will look to make the most of the home advantage when they welcome Birmingham to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

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Birmingham had a similar start to QPR, as the Blues only suffered one defeat in their first six league games, but they are now winless in their previous three fixtures.

On Saturday they drew 0-0 with Preston North End and that clean sheet was much needed after Birmingham conceded seven goals in the two games beforehand, when they lost 4-1 to Fulham and 3-0 to Peterborough United.

Lee Bowyer will be hopeful that the goalless draw at the weekend will restore some confidence to a shaky backline, especially as the defence has been one of the factors in Bowyer's success since becoming Birmingham manager with the Blues keeping nine clean sheets in 19 league games under the ex-Charlton boss.

Birmingham have also been successful away from home as they have only suffered one defeat on the road this season, which will give the visitors confidence ahead of Tuesday's fixture.

Additionally, the Blues will be buoyed by the fact they have only lost once away at QPR in their last five visits.

Team News

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QPR could be without Stefan Johansen and Jordy De Wijs after both players were taken off at the weekend with knocks.

If the duo are unavailable for the Birmingham clash then Osman Kakay and Andre Dozzell could come into the starting lineup.

Warburton also has Lee Wallace and Sam Field unavailable due to injury.

Birmingham will be without the duo of Ivan Sanchez and Neil Etheridge.

Gary Gardner will return to the squad after serving a one-match suspension, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench.

In addition, Bowyer may bring Lukas Jutkiewicz into the side as he searches for a forward line capable of scoring goals consistently, which could mean Scott Hogan drops to the bench.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Dieng; Kakay, Dickie, Dunne; Odubajo, Ball, Dozzell, Barbet; Chair, Gray, Dykes

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Sarkic; Sanderson, Dean, Friend; Colin, Woods, Sunjic, Bela, Chong; Jutkiewicz, Deeney

We say: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Birmingham City

Both sides enter this fixture winless in their last three league games and three of the last five meetings between the teams at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium have ended all square.

We think this encounter will also end in a draw as both teams may lack the confidence needed to go and grab all three points.