QPR v Luton: Defences on top in capital clash

• QPR have kept back-to-back clean sheets

• Luton away days tend to be tight affairs

• Low-scoring contest increases chance of a draw

Critchley demands more from QPR

QPR chief Neil Critchley admitted he was disappointed with Rangers' attacking play in their goalless draw at Cardiff on Boxing Day. The R's remain unbeaten under the former Blackpool boss, having taken four points from two matches since he was installed as head coach. However, both teams struggled to create during a dull game in the Welsh capital.

Speaking post-match, Critchley said: "I'm not delighted, I'm sort of satisfied with the point. It's a clean sheet, we defended well and gave very few chances away. But we didn't create many ourselves.

"I said when I got here that we need to improve at both ends of the pitch if we want to be at the top end of the table. We've improved at one end but not at the other."

Ilias Chair, back after his involvement for Morocco in the recent World Cup, came on for QPR as a second-half substitute and is now pushing for a start on Thursday evening.

Luke Amos and Tyler Roberts were also back in the fold after recovering from recent injuries but may again be utilised from the bench as they continue to work their way back to full fitness.

Luton leave it late against Norwich

Striker Cauley Woodrow came off the bench to score a terrific last-minute winner as Luton manager Rob Edwards picked up the first victory of his Town managerial career in thrilling style by beating Norwich 2-1 on Boxing Day night.

Allan Campbell's goal just after the hour gave the Hatters a lead but the visitors equalised only a matter of minutes later, before Luton had Gabe Osho controversially dismissed for his second booking with 10 to go. Rather than hang on, Edwards replaced Carlton Morris with Woodrow and he was to prove the star of the show, with a wonderful late finish.

Edwards was understandably delighted post-match. He said, "To find a way to win with 10 players was incredible. I'm delighted for the group as a whole. I'm very proud of them. We were very good. I was thinking after the red card we'd take the point but, credit to the lads, it was them who were on the front foot. They sniffed it, they smelt it. They did it for us."

Draw a runner between well-matched pair

QPR suffered only a second league defeat in 23 against Luton when the two teams crossed swords back in October at Kenilworth Road (W13-D8-L2). Rangers have won seven of eight recent showdowns with the Hatters coming into that clash and are also unbeaten in 14 home ties against Town (W9-D5-L0), a run that dates back 38 years.

QPR 2.305/4 are only perched outside of the Championship play-off places on goal difference despite earning four points from a possible six since Neil Critchley arrived at Loftus Road. This is the new boss' first fixture on home soil and Rangers will be hoping to enhance a W5-D2-L4 return against fellow top-half teams this term, the bulk of which arrived on the road.

Luton 3.505/2 are just two points shy of the top-six following their thrilling 2-1 triumph against ante-post favourites Norwich last time out. The Hatters have impressed on their travels this term (W5-D2-L4) and have posted W4-D4-L3 when taking on fellow top-half outfits; the visitors were beaten at Middlesbrough in Rob Edwards' first away day.

Goals at a premium?

QPR supremo Neil Critchley has been keen to tighten up Rangers' rearguard since taking charge of proceedings and the R's have returned back-to-back clean sheets across his first two fixtures in situ.

Even so, the capital club haven't been at their creative best in away days at Preston and Cardiff and that's emphasised by the underlying performance data.

Critchley's first two ties have produced a cumulative Expected Goals (xG) tally of just 3.64 - just 1.82 xG per-game - with only four Big Chances generated across three hours of football. With Luton's away days averaging only 2.00 goals - and 73% of road trips producing Under 2.5 Goals 1.784/5 profit, another low-scoring match-up could be on the cards.

For punters looking for a bigger-priced option, a low goals probability tends to bring the chance of a draw into play, and backing the Draw and Under 2.5 Goals can be backed at 3.7511/4 quotes on the Sportsbook.

It's already delivered on seven (30%) occasions for Luton this season, whilst the price implies just a 27% chance of success.