Preston vs QPR prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2022-12-16 15:00.
A 4-1 thumping of Lancashire rivals Blackburn last weekend has given Preston North End a chance of spending Christmas in the Championship’s top six. That’s a distinction the Lilywhites didn’t even have en-route to any of their three playoff appearances made during the latter half of the 2000s, and a win here combined with other favourable results, may even see them move within four points of the automatic promotion berths.
In turn, there is the chance for Preston to build a significant platform towards promotion going into 2023. Given their recent surge in form, they are clear favourites here, but having won just once when starting off a Championship game as the bookmakers’ pick this term (W1, D5, L4), Ryan Lowe’s men aren’t always the best pacesetters.
Though possibly buoyed by seeing their club represented (by Ilias Chair) in a World Cup semi final squad on Wednesday, for the first time since Paul Parker faced Germany in 1990, Queens Park Rangers’ recent struggles have continued into the post-Michael Beale era, as a 3-0 battering at home to Burnley made it four straight defeats, and saw the West Londoners slip further towards the mid-table maelstrom.
But debuting manager Neil Critchley is adamant that his new side can stop the rot, saying “there’s no doubting the quality at QPR”. That quality needs to become apparent immediately though, with the potential alternative being a sixth scoring blank in seven outings – and a fourth successive Championship road trip without scoring, which is something not seen from any QPR squad since February 2010.
Players to watch: Following his deadly double against Blackburn, Preston’s Ched Evans is looking to net in a fourth straight Championship round. QPR have their own possible lucky charm though, as Chris Willock has netted in three of the Rs’ four prior away wins this term, with two decisive openers amongst them.
Hot stat: Preston have recorded just one home win by a margin of 2+ goals since the start of November 2021.