Preview: Southampton vs Queens Park Rangers

Southampton welcome Queens Park Rangers to St Mary’s Stadium this Tuesday night in the Championship, with both sides still hopeful of keeping their playoff ambitions alive.

The Saints come into this game off a 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic, while the visitors will be bouncing into this game off their 3-1 victory away to Hull City.

Match preview

Southampton have been on a steady run of late and are currently experiencing a seven-game unbeaten run across all competitions, with their last defeat coming to Hull on January 17.

The Saints currently occupy 11th in the Championship, but they are only four points off Wrexham, who are sixth, from their 12 wins, 11 draws and 10 defeats in their 33 league fixtures this campaign.

Tonda Eckert’s side will take confidence from their recent record when playing midweek in the league, as they have won six of the eight games they have played this season, with the exceptions being a 3-1 loss at Bristol City and a 0-0 draw with Millwall.

Southampton have won each of their last five league games against QPR since a 2-1 home loss in March 2013 in the Premier League, so fans can take confidence from this record.

Meanwhile, this may be a game in which Finn Azaz shines, as against no side has the Ireland international provided more assists in English league football than QPR, assisting in each of his last three appearances against them.

QPR currently sit 13th in the division, level on points with Southampton (47), after their 33 matches this season but only below them due to their inferior goal difference.

The form of Julien Stephan’s side has been a bit patchy in recent weeks, as they have won two of their last five, losing in two of these fixtures also while drawing with Charlton.

QPR have lost their last two away league games against Southampton, last suffering defeat more consecutive visits between 1957 and 1969, when it was across four occasions.

Fans of the London club will take confidence, though, from their midweek form, like those of the hosts.

The R’s are unbeaten in their last four midweek away league matches, keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three as they secured one draw, with the rest being victories.

Southampton Championship form:

W D W W W D

Southampton form (all competitions):

D W W W W D

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:

D L W D L W

Team News

Southampton will continue to be without the services of Jay Robinson and Mads Roerslev, who are ruled out through injury.

Meanwhile, there will be concern around the fitness of Leo Scienza, who was substituted after going down with an injury, and while he was not replaced, James Bree did also go down with a fitness concern.

QPR will continue to be without Ziyad Larkeche, Kwame Poku, Karamoko Dembele and Rumarn Burrell, along with January signing Justin Obikwu.

However, in more positive news, the concerns around the fitness of Nicolas Madsen and Jonathan Varane as the pair featured in the club’s victory over Hull.

There was hope that Ilias Chair would have been fit for the match at the weekend, but he was not involved in the squad, with hopes that he could feature in this one, but it still may be a little premature for his return.

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Peretz; Jelert, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Downes, Charles; Fellows, Archer, Edozie; Stewart

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Walsh; Edwards, Dunne, Mbengue, Norrington-Davies; Madsen, Hayden, Vale, Saito; Kone, Kolli

We say: Southampton 2-2 Queens Park Rangers

Southampton and QPR have put in some fine performances recently, with the Saints staging a dramatic comeback not too long ago against Leicester City, while the London side impressed against Hull. This should be a game of free-flowing football which sees them end level.

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