QPR vs Chelsea – Match preview

The West London derby is take places on Sunday at 16.00 and can be seen live on Sky Sports 1, this is the game the QPR fan’s have been looking forward to.

John Terry will be brought back into the starting line-up along with the striking pair of Daniel Sturridge and Didier Drogba as well as the brilliant Spaniard Juan Mata, who were all rested during the midweek 5-0 thrashing of Genk. 

Two players missing are Fernando Torres who serves last of his three game ban and Ramires who has a knee injury.

The hosts are missing Danny Gabbidon who has an injury and Matt Connolly faces a late fitness test, Adel Taarabt has had a virus this week, but should be available for selection.

Striker Heidar Helguson is expected to start with Jay Bothroyd having to settle for a place on the bench.

FORM

QPR have failed to win any of their last eight home games, their last win at Loftus Road came against Sheffield United on the 4th April, whereas Chelsea have six of their last seven games.

Last year’s star man was undoubtedly Taarabt, he was their ‘go to’ guy, but this year has not gone to plan so far and he is looking for his first goal since April when he scored against Watford. His replacement as skipper, Joey Barton, has not been impressed with the Moroccan yet …  

After the Blues conceded during the win over Everton, it meant that Chelsea have now gone seven successive games without keeping a clean sheet. 

Chelsea’s recent run of form has seen them score 20 goals in the last seven games and the next goal will be their 6,000th in league football.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This is the first league meeting between the two teams since the 1995-96 season; during the season the Blues won 2-1 at Loftus Road thanks to a Paul Furlong injury-time winner.

The last two meetings came in the League Cup, both of which 1-0 to the Blues.

Chelsea have only lost once in the last 14 games between the two clubs which was back on the 22 March 1995, when QPR won 1-0 thanks to a Kevin Gallen winner.

BETTING

Andre Villas-Boas’ team is an unattractive 2/5, whilst the home side are 19/2 to beat their bitter rivals.

Didier Drogba is evens to score at anytime and Frank Lampard is 13/8 to find the back of the net, meanwhile ex-Blue Shaun Wright-Phillips is 6s to find the back of the net against his old team.

You can get 13/8 for over 3.5 goals and 5/7 for a more likely over 2.5 goals.

by Scott Balaam

Twitter @AStamBridge2far