Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
A draw was enough for Derby County to finally climb out of the relegation zone, while Queens Park Rangers are settling into mid-table obscurity. The London side are neither chasing promotion nor fearing relegation, making this a low-stakes fixture for them.
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers’ title-challenging form (averaging two points per game) disappeared in January. From Matchday 16 to 28, they picked up 28 points, bettered only by Burnley (29) and Leeds United (30). Since then, they have endured three defeats in four matches, with their only victory coming against Blackburn (2:1). The under 3.5 goals market has landed in 13 of QPR’s last 15 matches, highlighting their preference for tight, low-scoring encounters.
Derby County
For the first time in 11 matches, Derby County managed to keep a clean sheet. Prior to their draw with Oxford United (0:0), their opponents only needed one goal to secure victory, as Derby were completely ineffective in attack. That goalless draw was, at least, a small step forward, marking their second match in a row with points. However, they haven’t won in nine consecutive matches. More notably, six of their last seven league fixtures have ended with under 2.5 goals.
Queens Park Rangers vs Derby County Prediction
It’s been a long time since Queens Park Rangers and Derby County produced a high-scoring match—under 3.5 goals has landed in their last 19 head-to-head meetings. With Derby’s dreadful away form (one win in 16 games) and their lack of goals, backing a double chance for Queens Park Rangers with another low-scoring affair seems the safest bet.
