Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
The draw of the tournament has scheduled Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers to clash again just five rounds and three weeks after their first encounter. In that meeting, Norwich City ran into a rising QPR side and suffered a 0:3 defeat. Will history repeat itself?
Norwich City
That match at Loftus Road on 7 December marked the beginning of a brief poor run for Norwich City, which included a draw and three defeats where they scored only two goals. However, despite this low-scoring stretch, they have been averaging 1.7 goals per game this season and remain third in the Championship for goals scored. In their last home encounter against Millwall, Norwich City reached their goal tally and won (2:1), with both goals coming from inside the penalty area against considerable resistance. Notably, Norwich were also the first team in 15 matches to score more than once against Millwall.
Queens Park Rangers
QPR's seven-match unbeaten run came to an end with a loss to Swansea City (0:3). Despite the defeat, they remain relatively safe, sitting five places and six points clear of the relegation zone. During their unbeaten streak, Queens Park Rangers conceded just three goals, but the manner of their goals conceded against the Welsh side should be concerning. All three goals were scored from the edge of the penalty area and, crucially, without any resistance, as the opponent exploited positioning advantages.
Norwich City vs Queens Park Rangers Prediction
A team like Norwich City are always ready to capitalise on a momentary lapse from their opponents. It’s important to note that the tournament's top scorer, Borja Sainz, with 15 goals, plays for Norwich. Therefore, we anticipate the hosts being productive in front of goal, expecting them to score at least two or more.
