QPR v Stoke: Potters to pile more misery on powderpuff R's

QPR v Stoke
Tuesday December 15, 17:30
Sky Sports

Winless run extends for QPR

QPR slumped to a 1-0 home defeat to Reading on Saturday, extending Rangers' winless streak to five fixtures. The game looked destined to end goalless until the Royals' second-half substitute Michael Olise struck a left-footed shot past Seny Dieng in the 89th minute.

Ilias Chair went closest for Mark Waburton's men when his curling effort came back off the inside of the post with 13 minutes remaining. Chair had looked the most likely to strike in the opening stages, twice going close, before Michael Morrison headed Reading's first opportunity wide and the visitors improved with the second-half introduction of Olise.

Reading managed only two on-target attempts at goal in the contest and Warburton was understandably frustrated by the final score, saying: "It was a world-class strike but it was the one shot in the game they had I think. We certainly didn't deserve to lose the game. It is a tough one for the players as a lot of work went in and they didn't get the rewards."

Stoke within striking distance of the top-six

Stoke remain outside of the Championship play-off places after playing out a drab goalless draw at struggling Derby on Saturday. It was the Rams that appeared the most likely to break the deadlock; a deflected shot was well saved by Potters goalkeeper Josef Bursik and after the break County went close again when the ball flashed across the face of the goal.

A fine performance from Bursik helped Michael O'Neill's men secure a point as he made a good stop to deny Matt Clarke's dangerous close-range header late on. City themselves produced only four attempts at goal, only one of which was on-target, in a performance that lacked intensity and invention with Tyrese Campbell's absence obvious from the off.

Steven Fletcher, Harry Souttar and Jordan Thompson were pressed back into action earlier than expected and O'Neill admitted his squad was stretched post-match, saying: "We were running on fumes a little bit. The positive was another clean sheet. On the day, we probably just didn't have enough quality when we had the opportunity to win the game."

Potters favoured in the capital

QPR completed the double over Stoke last season and Rangers have avoided defeat in five of their most recent six meetings with the Potters (W2-D3-L1). The R's have also been beaten just once in seven league meetings with Stoke at Loftus Road (W3-D3-L1) since 2006 and going back further, have lost only twice when welcoming the Potters since 1974.

Since a fortunate opening day success over Nottingham Forest, QPR 2.829/5 have claimed top Championship honours in only three of 17 fixtures (W3-D6-L8). Only three clubs sit below Rangers in the eight-game form table (W1-D2-L5) and Mark Warburton's men have managed W1-D5-L8 when taking on teams currently above them in the league standings.

Stoke 2.6613/8 sit two points outside of the top-six and have proven capable operators against clubs outside the top-four. The Potters have returned W8-D5-L3 against the rest of the division, including W5-D5-L0 versus 11th and below. Michael O'Neill's men have kept a hugely impressive seven shutouts on their travels when excluding the top-four (W4-D3-L0).

Side with Stoke

Both QPR and Stoke are returning very similar goal trends this term. The two teams have each seen the Over 2.5 Goals barrier cleared in only 7/18 (39%) of Championship clashes and the duo are matched in terms of goals per-game return too, with 2.44 delivered on average in 2020/21. Both suggest 1.824/5 on Under 2.5 Goals is fair enough on Tuesday.

However, the Potters' road trips have been ultra-defensive. The weekend's goalless draw means 7/9 (78%) of Stoke's away days have featured two goals or fewer with a paltry 1.56 goals per-game witnessed on average. Michael O'Neill's expertly organised outfit have kept clean sheets in seven of those fixtures and a repeat could again be on the cards here.

But our best value play is to side with Stoke in the Double Chance market alongside Under 3.5 Goals via the Betfair Sportsbook Same Game Multi at 1.81. it's landed in 22/36 (61%) of the pairs respective matches this season, as well as 13/18 (72%) when viewing respective home/away records for the two teams.