Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
After a defeat to Portsmouth sent Queens Park Rangers to the bottom of the table, Manager Martí Cifuentes remarked, "I've been through tougher situations." But will the Spaniard remain at the helm if they lose to Coventry City?
Queens Park Rangers
The manager might have been in similar scenarios before, but this situation seems to be dragging on. Initially, Queens Park Rangers often drew their matches, but now they're experiencing losses without any victories coming their way. It reflects last year's situation when, after 10 rounds, QPR had eight points (seven now) but were still above two teams: Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday. Back then, Gareth Ainsworth was dismissed on October 28, paving the way for Martí Cifuentes. Does he now have just two rounds to turn things around, with a trust period lasting less than a year?
Coventry City
Beating Coventry City won't be easy. They sit 21st with eight points, meaning they're equally motivated to climb up the ranks. Mark Robins enjoys more trust than his counterpart, having been with the club since 2017. In the West Midlands, they’re not quick to make rash decisions. After a win against Blackburn Rovers, the team suffered two narrow defeats to Sheffield Wednesday (1:2) and Preston North End (0:1). Their key issue has been converting chances; despite taking at least 12 shots, Coventry's players only hit the target twice, barely scoring once.
Queens Park Rangers vs Coventry City Prediction
Both teams are desperate for results right now, rather than the quality of play, so they are likely to play cautiously, keeping more players back. The scoreline might be influenced by free kicks and corners, but that’s not always a given. Typically, this will be a low-scoring affair, so backing the total under seems prudent.
