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

Queens Park Rangers will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to struggling Reading on Saturday.

Rangers are third in the Championship table with 11 points from five games, while the Royals are down in 21st with just three points.

Match preview

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Only Watford and Norwich City picked up more points in the Championship in the second half of last season than QPR, and Mark Warburton's side have continued that form into the new campaign to become early promotion contenders.

Three wins and two draws from their opening five games marks the club's best start to a season since their relegation from the Premier League in 2015.

Warburton admitted that his side were not the better team in the 2-0 victory over Coventry City a fortnight ago, but he was encouraged by being able to win without playing well.

QPR have taken maximum points from their first two away games this season, scoring three times against both Hull City and Middlesbrough, taking them to five successive wins on the road in the Championship.

After travelling to the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the West London side visit another unbeaten outfit, Bournemouth, on Tuesday evening.

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The pressure is growing in Berkshire on Veljko Paunovic, with Reading on a run of three consecutive defeats.

The 4-0 loss to Huddersfield Town two weeks ago sparked the most outrage, as the Royals capitulated defensively at the John Smith's Stadium.

It is just two wins in the last 16 Championship outings for Reading, who have conceded 13 goals from five games this season – five more than any other side in the second tier.

If they wanted to cling onto some hope, the Royals have lost just one of their last nine home games, while they are unbeaten in their last five matches against QPR.

However, defeat on Saturday may be the beginning of the end for Paunovic, with a daunting trip to Fulham to come next weekend after a potential banana skin against newly-promoted Peterborough United in midweek.

Team News

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Paunovic suggested that his team was "incomplete" after the defeat to Huddersfield, but Reading have since signed Danny Drinkwater and Scott Dann, while fellow new arrival Baba Rahman could also be in line for a debut.

Ovie Ejaria has been back in training over the last week after recovering from coronavirus, so could make his first appearance of the season.

Yakou Meite, Lucas Joao and Femi Azeez are all long-term absentees, leaving the Royals lacking options upfront; George Puscas has scored just once in his last 14 league appearances.

QPR have no such problems going forward and added more firepower on deadline day by signing Andre Gray on loan from Watford.

The 30-year-old will face strong competition for a spot in the team however, with Charlie Austin starting against Coventry a fortnight ago and Lyndon Dykes coming off the bench to score.

Goal-scoring centre-back Rob Dickie came through Reading's academy but only made one appearance for the first team before leaving for Oxford United in 2018.

Reading possible starting lineup:
Rafael; Yiadom, Morrison, Moore, Rahman; Drinkwater, Laurent; Halilovic, Swift, Hoilett; Puscas

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Dieng; Dickie, de Wijs, Barbet; Odubajo, Ball, Johansen, Kakay; Willock, Chair; Dykes

We say: Reading 1-2 Queens Park Rangers

Reading will hope that a late flurry of signings help turn their fortunes around, but they may struggle to make an instant impact against an in-form QPR side. Rangers will be strong favourites for victory in Berkshire, particularly with their menacing attack coming up against the Royals' leaky defence.