Burnley will be bidding to move to the top of the Championship table when they take on Queens Park Rangers in the penultimate match of their 2024-25 campaign on Saturday afternoon.
Scott Parker's side have already secured promotion back to the Premier League for next season, and they are now locked in a battle with Leeds United for the title, with the two teams level on 94 points at the summit.
Match preview
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QPR finished 18th in the Championship last season, but they are in a strong position to improve on that this term, currently sitting 15th, boasting a record of 13 wins, 14 draws and 17 defeats from their 44 matches.
Marti Cifuentes's side are only three points behind 12th-placed Watford, but they are also only four points ahead of 19th-placed Oxford United, so a lot could change over the final two gameweeks of the campaign.
QPR will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City, which proved to be their first loss since the end of March, so the home side will be bidding to bounce back in their final game of the season in front of their own supporters.
The Rs have been underwhelming on home soil this season, only picking up 29 points from 22 matches, and they will be welcoming a Burnley side that boast the best away record in the Championship this term.
QPR are actually unbeaten in their last two matches against Burnley, including a goalless draw at Turf Moor earlier this season, but the last meeting between the two sides at Loftus Road finished 3-0 to Burnley in December 2022.
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Burnley will again be a Premier League club next season, with the Clarets enjoying an excellent campaign, picking up 94 points from their 44 matches courtesy of a record of 26 wins, 16 draws and just two defeats.
Parker's team have an extraordinary defensive record this season, only conceding 15 times, while they have found the back of the net on 61 occasions, but that is comfortably beaten by Leeds' goal record of 89 in the second tier this term.
Burnley and Leeds are level on points at the top of the Championship, with the latter sitting at the summit due to their comfortably superior goal difference, so the Clarets will require their rivals to slip up in order to win the title.
Leeds are not in action until Monday evening against Bristol City, though, so a draw or a win would move Burnley to the top of the division, and they will be bidding to record a fourth straight league win, having overcome Norwich City, Watford and Sheffield United in their last three fixtures.
Burnley's challenge will be to stay in the Premier League next term, and it will be fascinating to see what the summer transfer window brings for the club and whether Parker decides on a change of playing style for the 2025-26 campaign.
Team News
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QPR have a lengthy injury list at this moment in time, with Koki Saito, Jonathan Varane, Sam Field, Alfie Lloyd, Zan Celar, Steve Cook, Jake Clarke-Salter and Harvey Vale all unavailable for selection.
Head coach Cifuentes is likely to make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Swansea, with Karamoko Dembele in line for a start after scoring off the bench last time out.
Michael Frey may also be introduced into the starting side, but the back four and midfield two are likely to be unchanged from Saturday's clash, with Harrison Ashby fit to play despite his early substitution last time out.
As for Burnley, Manuel Benson, Lyle Foster, Enock Agyei, Bashir Humphreys, Jordan Beyer and Jonjo Shelvey are out through injury, but the visitors have not reported any fresh fitness concerns.
As a result, head coach Parker may name the same side that started against Sheffield United last time out, with leading goalscorer Josh Brownhill again featuring in the middle of midfield.
Brownhill has had an outstanding campaign for the promoted outfit, scoring 16 times and registering five assists in 42 appearances, while Zian Flemming is second in the charts with 12 goals in 36 appearances.
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Nardi; Dunne, Morrison, Fox, Ashby; Edwards, Colback; Frey, Andersen, Madsen; Dembele
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires; Brownhill, Cullen; Edwards, Hannibal, Anthony; Flemming
We say: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Burnley
QPR have the required quality to make this a difficult match for Burnley, and we are expecting to be close in terms of the scoreline, but the visitors should be able to navigate their way to an important three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
