Leed United will look to fire themselves into the playoff places when they welcome QPR to Elland Road in midweek Championship action.
Key Takeaways
- Leeds are already a whopping nine points adrift of automatic promotion
- QPR score less than a goal a game on average
- Daniel James' four assists top the Championship table for this metric
Daniel Farke's side have endured a slightly underwhelming start to their season, considering the talent in their squad, while Queens Park Rangers are where many expected them to be - in the middle of a relegation dogfight.
Leeds United Form
After failing to win any of their opening three games on their return to the Championship, Leeds picked up three wins and two draws from their next five, before losing 3-1 away at fellow Premier League old boys Southampton at the weekend. They will expect a much easier task on Wednesday night against a struggling QPR side.
This middle-of-the-road form won't have pleased many Leeds fans and sitting nine points adrift of the automatic promotion spots after as many games will be troubling. There is still plenty of time for the Yorkshire side to challenge for an instant return to the top flight but they will need to find their feet soon if they hope to do so.
Queens Park Rangers Form
Perhaps a home game against a bottom three side will be just what the doctor ordered for Leeds. QPR come into this game winless in four, losing 3-1 at home to Sunderland and Coventry, and drawing with 10-man Swansea and Birmingham.
Gareth Ainsworth's side have won just two of nine games as they look set to struggle to stay up this season, a predicament which was forecasted by many experts going into the campaign. Their main problem is their inability to score goals, managing less than one per game on average.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have not faced each other since they were last both in the Championship back in January 2020. The last six clashes between them back then delivered mixed results, with Leeds winning three league meetings and QPR two in the league and one in the FA Cup. However, both teams were markedly different between three and six years ago.
Team News
The hosts are carrying far more injuries than their opponents with some key players absent. Pacey and dangerous contributors in Wilfried Gnonto and Junior Firpo are both expected to be out for at least a few more weeks, while Tottenham loanee Djed Spence continues to rehab an MCL injury and won't likely return until late November. Fan favourite and long-time stalwart Stuart Dallas is also out through a broken hip.
QPR don't have too many absentees to worry about. However, they will continue to be without Irish centre back Jimmy Dunne, who played almost every game of their last two Championship campaigns, but has yet to appear for The Hoops this season due to a shoulder injury.
Key Players
The biggest attacking theat for Farke's side will likely be winger Daniel James, who has already contributed a table-topping four assists in seven appearances this term. In the absence of Gnonto, he is likely to play alongside Dutch maestros Crysencio Summerville and Joel Piroe in a three-man attacking midfield behind French striker Georginio Rutter, all of whom have the pace, technique and creativity to theoretically cause any team in the league great problems.
Scotland international striker Lyndon Dykes will be the focal point for the visitors. His eight goals made him top scorer for the West London club last season, but he has only managed one thus far this campaign.
Final Thoughts
Leeds will look to bounce back from a disappointing defeat against Southampton by pummelling a far inferior opponent in QPR. While anything can happen in football, especially in the Championship, Leeds fans will be cautiously optimistic that their attacking charges can cause chaos in the Queens Park Rangers backline and deliver a much needed, morale boosting three points.
Championship