Football Previews

QPR vs Leeds preview, predictions & confirmed team news

By James Richards

Published: 11:32, 18 January 2020

Leeds United have hit a little wobble as we enter 2020 but they are still sitting in the automatic promotion spots with a six-point cushion.

They travel to London to take on Mark Warburton’s QPR side who have had a decent campaign so far considering some of the pre-season predictions. The Whites will need a big performance in Saturday’s early kick-off as they continue to go toe-to-toe with West Brom in the second tier’s title race.

One win in the last six matches is concerning but QPR are on an identical run, so there’s plenty at stake.

Read on for our preview, predictions, team news and TV coverage information.

When is QPR vs Leeds United and where can I watch live?

Competition: EFL Championship

Venue: Loftus Road, London

Date: Saturday, 18 January 2020

Kick-off: 12:30 PM (UK time)

TV coverage (UK): Sky Sports Football and live online via the Sky Sports app.

Last five meetings: QPR v Leeds United

02 November 2019: Leeds 2-0 QPR (EFL Championship)

26 February 2019: QPR 1-0 Leeds (EFL Championship)

06 January 2019: QPR 2-1 Leeds (FA Cup)

08 December 2018: Leeds 2-1 QPR (EFL Championship)

06 May 2018: Leeds 2-0 QPR (EFL Championship)

Aggregate Score: QPR (LWWLL) 4-7 Leeds United (WLLWW)

Ones to watch

QPR: Ebere Eze

This chap is headed for the top. Watching him play football is akin to staring at a lava lamp for ninty minutes. He just glides so gracefully over the grass and his ability on the ball is outstanding.

Keeping him during January will be the big challenge for QPR as a number of Premier League outfits are sending covetous glances his way. He has the ability to be a game-changer and, as many Super Hoops fans have mentioned this season, the MOTM award is beginning to be announced as “the best player today, apart from Ebere Eze is…”

Key stat: No player has been directly involved in more goals for QPR this season than Ebere Eze (16 — 10 goals, six assists).

Leeds United: Kalvin Phillips

Phillips sits in that hole in front of the Leeds defence and does an excellent job at picking up the pieces and then turning defence into attack. His transitional play has improved tenfold since Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival in Yorkshire and he is a Rolls Royce at the heart of the midfield.

This season has been another assured campaign from the 24-year-old and should be one that sees the Whites finally return to the top-flight after some frustrating seasons.

Key stat: Only Pablo Hernandez has made more key passes per game (2.1) than Kalvin Phillips (2.0) in the Leeds squad this season.

Team news

QPR

Leeds United

Squawka prediction

Although Leeds have hit a difficult patch of form, no one is panicking and Bielsa will be looking to get this team ticking once again. They face a QPR side low on confidence and on a difficult run themselves.

The overall quality in the Leeds squad should be enough to see them get the points against Warburton’s outfit and they know they will need to get back to winning ways if they are to keep both Fulham and Brentford at bay.

Scoreline prediction: QPR 0-2 Leeds