Queens Park Rangers 0-0 Birmingham City: Championship strugglers play out goalless draw
- Published
QPR and Birmingham have scored just nine goals between them in 14 Championship games this season
Queen's Park Rangers and Birmingham City extended their winless league runs to six matches as they played out a goalless draw at Loftus Road.
Both sides won on the opening day of the season but have since endured lacklustre Championship form, drawing four and losing two of the next six games.
Neither registered a shot on target in the opening period but Scott Hogan did have a goal for Blues disallowed for offside.
Harlee Dean kept out the home side's closest effort as he headed Bright Osayi-Samuel's shot over the bar after half-time.
Ivan Sunjic almost won it for Birmingham with a superb strike but Rangers goalkeeper Seny Dieng produced a fine save diving to his left.
Both sides may be content to have bounced back from midweek defeats but victories continue to elude them.
Boss Aitor Karanka has a puzzle to solve with his Birmingham side going forward - they have only scored three times in seven matches with none of those goals from open play.
He was able to name striker Lukas Jutkiewicz on the bench after missing the previous two games with coronavirus but even his introduction for the final 20 minutes failed to break the barren run.
Rangers gave a first start to Albert Adomah after his release from Nottingham Forest, however his full debut for the club he supports was not a memorable one.
QPR manager Mark Warburton:
"It was poor in the first half, if I'm honest. We didn't move the ball with any real intensity or purpose and we looked a bit lacklustre.
"Birmingham always pose a threat. From set-pieces they've got real physicality, so we're pleased to keep a clean sheet. But we must get the ball towards the other end. We were trying to walk the ball into the net - score too perfect a goal.
"It's a tough programme of fixtures at the moment. You just rest and then get ready for the next game."
Birmingham City manager Altior Karanka told BBC WM:
"We should have won this game. We created the better chances and it's a shame for the players.
"On Tuesday we didn't deserve to lose and today we deserved to win, but I've told them we have to keep going, they are doing well and have made a step forward.
"We were defending for almost the whole game on Tuesday against a very good side but I told the players to be more brave today and changed the formation to be more offensive."