Sheffield will be looking to defend their play-off places

QPR are playing a decent season, but also have a decent gap to the places at the top. Not so far away from the front ranks is the guest, Sheffield United, on the contrary. The Blades are still fighting for a place in the play-offs and have a good chance.

But for that to happen, they need a win at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. Ahead of the QPR vs Sheffield United game, the odds also indicate favouritism for the visitors. But that is no guarantee for victory, a good performance is also needed

Because QPR should not be underestimated. The fans will know for sure whether Sheffield will be at their best on Friday night, when the game kicks off at 8:45pm.

QPR – Statistics & current form

For a long time this season, QPR had at least a mathematical chance of finishing in the top six teams in the league, which would have entitled them to a place in the play-offs. But with a 0:1 on the last matchday against Stoke, which matched the form of the weeks before, those chances were finally finished. Six points behind sixth place before matchday, with two games to go. What’s more, there are a number of teams standing between QPR and sixth place.

For a long time, the club from the capital stood between third and sixth place, but in the last few weeks the much-cited worm has been in QPR’s game. The misery of the last few weeks can also be illustrated statistically. QPR could only win one of the last eight games, six of them were even lost. With such a record, the team naturally has no chance of finishing in one of the top places.

A conciliatory end to the season is still possible if QPR can improve its performance and at least not lose the last home game of the season. That’s what the team, which will certainly be changed in some positions in the summer, has been training for. Even coach Mark Warburton, in charge for just under three years, is likely to be up for debate.

QPR lack consistency

Because the team is not badly put together and also shows its class in some phases, but this cannot be called up consistently. The statistics back this up. No player scored in double figures in the league, despite 17 defeats QPR are only six points behind sixth place; only once have there been more than three consecutive wins in the league, but twice more than three defeats. The season has gone in phases and spurts and the team has too often let itself get out of rhythm too easily. The coach also has a part to play in this.

With 56 goals conceded, the defence is also too vulnerable. In addition, in only one of the last eight league games was the “zero” held in the defence. QPR offer too much too often. What’s more, this team cannot be described as a home power. Although the hosts lost less often at home, 1.64 points on average per game is not an outstanding performance either.

The offence is solid, the defence too fragile. At least the motivation should be noticeable in the last home game of the season, the team does not want to let itself down. For this reason, our prediction before the match QPR vs. Sheffield United is that both teams will score goals.

Predicted line-up of QPR:
Dieng – Odubajo, Barbet, Dickie, McCallum – Amos, Johansen, Hendrick – Chair, Willock, Gray

Last matches played by QPR:

Championship
23/04/2022 – Stoke 1 – 0 Queens Park Rangers

18/04/2022 – Queens Park Rangers 1 – 0 Derby

15/04/2022 – Huddersfield 2 – 2 Queens Park Rangers

09/04/2022 – Preston 2 – 1 Queens Park Rangers

06/04/2022 – Sheffield United 1 – 0 Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield United – Statistics & current form

Sheffield United are also realising how hard it is to get promoted in the Championship this season. The team has gone through a decent development after looking down Heer at the beginning of the season. Only since the 27th matchday has the team been in the area of the promotion places. Once there, the team had to fight against minor setbacks again and again.

The record of the last six games is emblematic of this. Two wins, two draws, two defeats: Sheffield United are currently experiencing why reaching the play-offs can already be a success. There are two games left, the away game against QPR on the penultimate matchday and the final game against champions Fulham. The programme is not easy, so the narrow 1-0 win against Cardiff City last weekend was all the more important.

Nevertheless: Sheffield United are currently doing better than QPR, fifth place is still possible in the final standings, but slipping down is not impossible either, as three teams are within reach with Middlesbrough, Blackpool and Millwall.

Sheffield United are struggling against the away stats

While Sheffield United have the fourth best defence in the league with 44 goals conceded so far, there is a relatively large discrepancy between home and away games. At home, the Blades conceded only 15 goals, while away they conceded 29, almost twice as many. Furthermore, only seven games were won away from home, twelve at home. So there is definitely room for improvement in the away record.

However, the visitors should not see this match as a typical away game, but rather as a kind of final match in the battle for the top places. And coach Paul Heckingbottom’s team will go into this final match at least as slight favourites and in better form. Therefore, in the run-up to the match between QPR and Sheffield United, our value tip is that the visitors will win.

Predicted Sheffield United line-up:
Foderingham – Robinson, Egan, Basham – Osborn, Fleck, Norwood, Stevens – Berge, Gibbs-White – Sharp

Last matches played by Sheffield United:

Championship
23/04/2022 – Sheffield United 1 – 0 Cardiff

18/04/2022 – Bristol City 1 – 1 Sheffield United

15/04/2022 – Sheffield United 1 – 2 Reading

09/04/2022 – Sheffield United 0 – 0 Bournemouth

06/04/2022 – Sheffield United 1 – 0 Queens Park Rangers

QPR – Sheffield United Direct comparison / H2H record

The direct comparison between the two teams is almost completely even. QPR won 18 games, 19 games ended in a draw and Sheffield United won 19 games. The Blades won the first leg 1-0, and Sheffield also have a narrow lead in total goals scored with 70 compared to 67.

QPR – Sheffield United Tip

QPR will be looking for another good performance in their final home game of the season. Sheffield United need wins to qualify for the play-offs and, although not outstanding, are in better form than the hosts.

Both teams have qualities, both have shown defensive vulnerability at times recently. For this reason, our tip before the match QPR vs Sheffield United is that both teams will score goals.