The Opposition queens park rangers

Fact file

Nickname: R’s

Formed: 1882

Stadium: Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium

Stadium Capacity: 18,193

Manager: Mark Warburton

Last season finish: 9th in Championship

The Opposition queens park rangers

ONE TO WATCH Lyndon Dykes

STRIKER

DOB: 7 October 1995

The workaholic forward from the Gold Coast has certainly had a golden touch for both club and country this season.

Leading scorer for the R’s last campaign with a dozen goals, the Aussie-born Scotland hero was also part of Steve Clarke’s squad that went to the European Championships. He has continued his productive form this term, already into double figures including scoring in four consecutive World Cup Qualifying games for his nation in their race to reach Qatar 2022.

Although the 26-year-old has not found the target since October, having missed nearly two months with an ankle injury, his authoritative qualities in leading the line make him one of the Championship’s most respected.

Warburton is certainly an admirer of the former Livingston striker, saying in October: “Lyndon’s assists and goals this season have been terrific. He is maturing nicely as a striker. He has adapted to the fierce demands of the Championship and he has also learned from working with strikers like Charlie Austin and Andre Gray. Things like the timing of his movement and how to impact on opposing defences.

“He has scored goals and everything he does is supported by a fantastic work ethic, you know he is going to run his socks off for you.”

WARBURTON’S R’s ON THE RISE

Twelve months ago Queens Park Rangers brought the curtain down on 2020 perched 19th in the Championship, nervously looking over their shoulders with just five points separating them from a relegation scrap.

The landscape for the R’s in 2022 is very different. The Hoops sit within striking distance of the play-offs with games in hand on those above them and keeping faith with manager Mark Warburton has proven the catalyst to metronomic progress.

Having ended 2020/21 with six wins from their final 10 games, QPR were quickly out of the traps and among the division’s pacesetters this time around with a six-game unbeaten streak. Although a blip in September and October knocked them off course, four wins from five games in November saw Warburton crowned the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month.

Despite the accolade, the second-tier’s fourth longest-serving manager insists more hard work is on the agenda in the new year. He told Sky Sports: “Go back a year and I was probably a game away from being in real trouble. We were sitting in 19th, playing well but not getting the results. But here we are a year later and we are sitting around the play-offs with people talking about promotion.

“I have been given the luxury of time and with the quality of staff we have here we have been able to build an environment which is conducive to players coming in, developing and learning.”

November’s upward trajectory was curtailed by a COVID-19 outbreak that has seen the West London side play just twice during December, prior to the scheduled visit to Bristol City on Thursday. Back-to-back defeats at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium 22 days apart, to Stoke City and AFC Bournemouth last Monday, have disrupted momentum but Warburton was still satisfied with the progress made during the first-half of the campaign.

IN THE DUGOUT Mark Warburton

DOB: 6 September 1962 Appointed: May 2019

As a former city trader, Warburton acknowledges only too well the importance of stability to any business.

It is a valued commodity and something the 59-year-old has provided to QPR since arriving in 2019. Although it has not all been plain sailing in W12, the Hoops’ hierarchy kept patience during some troubled times and now he has the West London outfit among the promotion pack at the season’s halfway stage.

The ambitious Warburton explained to Sky Sports: “In my first year we came 13th, and last year we came ninth, so it would be foolish to say we do not have to keep pushing for a play-off place, because anything less and the supporters would say we lack ambition and desire. The reality is our budget is probably 13th or 14th in the league, so from a financial perspective mid-table is where we should be, but we know we want more than that.”

Warburton was Brentford’s Sporting Director before masterminding the Bees to League One promotion in 2013/14, then guided the club to its highest placing in 80 years the following campaign. The Londoner lifted the Scottish Championship and Scottish Challenge Cup during Rangers’ rejuvenation, before a difficult nine months at Nottingham Forest came to a head in 2017.

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foolish to say otherwise. But games in hand are dangerous and we have to meet the challenges ahead. We can still be better, more ruthless, but we are making progress.

“We are only halfway through the season and we are going to face a tough run of games in the second-half of the campaign, especially with the rearranged games, but there is no doubt how special and intimidating our home crowd can be.”

Blues are well aware of QPR’s vociferous support in W12, having lost 2-0 to the R’s in September due to an Ilias Chair double. However, today’s visitors are likely to be without their creative string puller after the Moroccan international had to be replaced at half-time against the Cherries due to injury.

Warburton also has a defensive trio sidelined. Hull City promotion winner Moses Odubajo, Norwich City loanee Sam McCallum and Dutchman Jordy de Wijs remain absent, while after today he will have to cope without firstchoice goalkeeper Seny Dieng and Osman Kakay. The pair depart to the African Cup of Nations with Senegal and Sierra Leone respectively.

While some January reinforcements may be on the horizon, Warburton was able to welcome an experienced duo back to first team duties this week. Left-back Lee Wallace, twice Player of the Year at Scottish club Rangers, and former Aston Villa winger Albert Adomah had been sidelined since late November.

Keeping influential league everpresents Yoann Barbet and Rob Dickie in the back three will be integral, the pair have recently played alongside Irishman Jimmy Dunne who has three Premier League outings for Burnley on his CV.

Sam Field made a loan move from West Bromwich Albion permanent this season and started alongside Norway international Stefan Johnsen in central midfield last time out. Alternatives include Luke Amos, who scored November’s winner against Huddersfield Town, former Coventry City Player of the Year George Thomas and the highly-admired Andre Dozzell.

Only the Championship’s top three have scored more this season than QPR and Warburton has a plethora of attacking options at his disposal. Apart from leading assister Chair, one-time Arsenal prodigy Chris Willock has scored four of his five goals this term away from home and can operate behind a solitary targetman. Scotland international Lyndon Dykes has been that outlet more often than not this season, although two-time Hoops Player of the Year Charlie Austin and Watford loanee Andre Gray offer more than 270 league goals of experience between them.

Although the R’s were not promotion favourites, stability on and off the field has them looking at the New Year with optimism of mounting a first promotion push since 2014.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Bristol City will start the New Year having announced a pre-tax loss of £38.4million for the 2020-21 financial year.

It was a report that City chief executive officer Richard Gould described as “extremely serious” and Nigel Pearson’s side will hope home comforts can provide a platform of optimism into 2022. They welcome a Millwall side this afternoon that have laboured on their travels but who have not lost at Ashton Gate since 2012.

Derby County are another side wary of what the new year will bring as new owners remain top of their wish list. Yet despite being docked 12 points in September for going into administration, and a further nine points in November for accounting breaches, Wayne Rooney’s side have not given up the fight for survival. The Rams beat both Blackpool and West Bromwich Albion 1-0 during December and success tomorrow at Reading, who have not played since 11th December, would really cause a stir.

Fellow strugglers Peterborough United have winning games as their new year’s resolution, having last taken maximum spoils in October. They head to league leaders AFC Bournemouth tomorrow, a destination they have not been victorious in since 2005.

Elsewhere, two of the Championship’s most off-colour sides in Swansea City and Fulham meet on Monday. The Swans have lost their previous three outings, conceding eight times, and face the Cottagers who have not won since November’s defeat of Barnsley as their own promotion aspirations take a jolt.

Today’s Other Championship Fixtures

Bristol City v Millwall Blackburn Rovers v Huddersfield Town West Bromwich Albion v Cardiff City Nottingham Forest v Barnsley (Mon) Reading v Derby County (Mon) Stoke City v Preston North End (Mon) Swansea City v Fulham (Mon) AFC Bournemouth v Peterborough United (Mon)

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