QPR vs Sunderland prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-09-15 14:00.
After losing four of their first five games this season in all competitions (W1), Queens Park Rangers partially corrected their course by beating bottom-of-the-table Middlesbrough 2-0 last time out. QPR rose to 17th as a result, and seemed to be looking forward to the international break after boss Gareth Ainsworth said his players had “emptied the tank” at the Riverside Stadium.
The Rs faithful will be hoping the hiatus hasn’t stalled any momentum, as they’ll be desperately craving a similar showing since the Hoops have only won one of their last 17 home matches (D3, L13). Perhaps a date with Sunderland could help boost the spirits, considering QPR have suffered just one defeat in the last eight league H2Hs (W4, D3).
That lone loss did occur in their last meeting, however, when Sunderland won 3-0 in west London earlier this year. That game took place on Valentine’s Day, and Sunderland will be hoping to build a love affair with Loftus Road by securing back-to-back league wins there for the first time since 2011.
The Black Cats’ last performance proved they’re definitely capable of achieving such a feat, extending their unbeaten streak to three games (W2, D1) with a mighty fine 5-0 win over one of the early season promotion favourites, Southampton, at the start of September. Head coach Tony Mowbray will now be looking to leverage that historic performance to improve his team’s away form here, having failed to win any of their last three games on the road (D1, L2).
Players to watch: Two players with the same initials will be hoping to get one over on their former clubs, with Jack Colback looking to score for the third match in a row to hopefully seal a win over his old employers in what is set to be his fifth attempt (D1, L3). The same can’t be said for Sunderland’s Jack Clarke, who’s won two of his four previous matches against QPR (D1, L1), including netting a brace in that 3-0 win on his return to Loftus Road in February.
Hot stat: Only two of Sunderland’s last eight away matches saw both teams score.