Queens Park Rangers

Image source, Rex Features

Queen's Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan hailed his side's "mental reaction" following their comeback 3-2 victory over Hull City.

The Tigers led at Loftus Road on two separate occasions through Joe Gelhardt and Enis Destan but equalisers from Ilias Chair, Jimmy Dunne and then a 66th minute winner from Rumarn Burrell ended the Rangers four match winless streak.

"Of course the win is very important but for me the performance is also very important because it means a lot to win a game like this with that level of play," said Stephan to BBC Radio London.

"I think offensively it was our best performance since the start of the season. Very good movement, a great number of opportunities — 26 shots, 3.5 xG, so it's a lot without a penalty and credit to the players; they deserve this win.

"Another reason I enjoyed this game was the mental reaction after we conceded the first and second goals, because they shot only once in the first half and scored.

"But we stayed focused, the players stuck to the plan, and continued to play how we wanted."

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

Queens Park Rangers will look to end a four-match winless drought when they host Hull City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hoops are currently six points off the pace of the top six, while the Tigers lie snugly within in fifth.

However, with so much competition lying in wait, Hull will likely need a win to remain in their play-off spot.

• QPR won their last league game against Hull but they haven't registered consecutive wins against the Tigers since February 1970.

• Hull City have won five of their last nine league visits to Queens Park Rangers (D1 L3), including a 3-1 victory last season under Tim Walter.

• Queens Park Rangers have lost their last three home Championship matches, last losing four in a row in November/December 2022. The last Hoops manager to lose four home league games in a row was Chris Ramsey between February and April 2015 (five in a row).

• Hull are one of three teams yet to score a Championship goal from outside the box this season, along with Middlesbrough and Sheffield United. They've had 54 attempts from outside the box without scoring in 2025-26.

• Hull have conceded the most goals when they've been winning in Championship games this season (10) and they've faced 108 shots when leading – 14 more than other side. It's 64 more shots than they've had (44) when winning, also the worst differential.

Boss Julien Stephan is focused on set-pieces as he tries to halt QPR's slide down the Championship table.

Ahead of Saturday's visit of Hull City (15:00 GMT) QPR are winless in their past four games in the Championship, taking a single point, scoring just two goals, and have slipped to 16th, having been sixth in early October.

Stephan told BBC Radio London it had been "important to refresh mentally and physically" during the international break but he had also been delving into the reasons for the R's downturn in fortunes.

"It was important for us to analyse why we didn't have the best results and what we have to do to react," he said.

"I am confident we are able to improve. It's important to stay honest with the players.

"The last run was not a good run but it's important to stay focused on what we need to do to have a good run in the next weeks and months.

"It's not that we did everything wrong, some things we did well, sometimes we were just unlucky, but a very important part in the Championship is to develop our ability to create something from set pieces.

"We have scored only one time from set pieces since the start of the season (in the 7-1 defeat at Coventry), we know we have to increase and develop our danger from set pieces.

"Offensively and defensively we have spent time on it - we know it's very important."

You can listen to this and find more QPR content on BBC Sounds.

Queens Park Rangers captain Jimmy Dunne says that his side are still "looking up" despite their poor form before the November international break.

QPR are winless in their last four games in the Championship but Dunne insists confidence has not been hit by results because teams are so close in the division.

Six points separate 16th-placed QPR and Hull, who sit in the play-off places in fifth, a gap which theoretically could be closed by next week if results go their way.

"It feels a little more open for anyone to go for it," he said.

"Momentum seems to be playing a massive part in teams. We had a spell there where we were unbeaten in however many, seven or something, Derby are flying at the minute but it can easily change for everyone.

"What everyone is looking for is that momentum at the right time to try and get into that top six but at the minute it seems like it's there for anyone."

The defender was part of the Republic of Ireland squad that reached for the World Cup qualifying play-offs in dramatic fashion on Sunday by beating Hungary 3-2 in Budapest.

He expects the Championship will begin to take shape from next month.

"It's usually pretty tight until after November," Dunne added.

"I think in December you start to see it categorise off a little bit and teams get into little battles in different parts of the table but at the minute its anyone's game and we had a disappointing couple of weeks before the international break but it's not knocked any belief out of us.

"We're looking up, we can still see an opportunity."

You can listen to more QPR content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

QPR striker Richard Kone marked another milestone in his career by making his senior debut for Ivory Coast in their friendly against Oman.

The 22-year-old was introduced as a 62nd minute substitute in the Ivorians' 2-0 win in Seeb.

Kone was playing for Athletic Newham in the Essex Senior League, the ninth tier of English football, at the end of 2023 before moving to Wycombe and then joining QPR in August this year.

He represented the Ivory Coast at the Homeless World Cup in 2019 and is in line to be included in Emerse Fae's squad for next year's World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Image source, Shutterstock

Watford winger Othmane Maamma has been nominated for the CAF Young Player of the Year award, recognising emerging African talent.

The 20-year-old captained Morocco twice during their successful U20 World Cup campaign, scoring one goal and delivering four assists to help them lift the trophy and was also named the tournament's best player.

Maamma came off the bench in both of the Hornets last two Championship games against Ipswich Town and Bristol City for his first appearances since joining the side in the summer from Montpellier.

Ajax U21 midfielder Abdellah Ouazane and Queens Park Rangers U21 defender Tylon Smith are the other two names in the running for the award.

Julien Stephan believes his team showed good mental strength to get a point at Sheffield United.

The Queens Park Rangers manager told BBC Radio London: "With the ball and without the ball we did a very good game. We kept our structure defensively for the last 25 minutes but lost our ability to create something in possession.

"Sometimes this can happen, especially when you play away and have opponents who want to push.

"We had two good saves from Ben Hamer in the game, which was very important, but I want to congratulate all the team because mentally it was not very easy after the three defeats in a row.

"The reaction was a strong reaction against a good team with a lot of good players. It's not easy to do that in this stadium.

"If we look at the first 60 minutes it's probably two points lost, but if I watch the last 25 minutes, probably we won a point."

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says his side cannot blame bad luck for their three-match losing streak.

Stephan's team lost to Southampton in the week, despite a significantly higher xG (1.68 to the Saints' 0.68) and double the shots on target (18 to 9).

"We can't say we are only unlucky at the end of a game, it's not only that," Stephan told BBC Radio London. "We are not honest if we say, 'oh, unlucky'.

"We have to be more clinical offensively and we have to respect more the defensive principle of every situation. If we do that, I'm pretty sure that we will win some games quickly."

Four of QPR's six league losses this season have come in their past five games and has seen the side drop from the upper half of the table to 16th place.

They next face bottom two side Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Listen to the full interview with Stephan and more Queens Park Rangers content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Opta

Sheffield United begin the Championship weekend back in the bottom two as they welcome QPR on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Blades allowed a 1-0 lead to slip to a 3-1 defeat at leaders Coventry on Tuesday night to suffer a third straight defeat and 11th in 14 games.

They lie seven places and nine points behind 16th-placed QPR, who suffered a third straight defeat of their own at home to Southampton on the same night.

The Hoops have lost four of their past five league games, though had taken 10 points from four away games before a 1-0 defeat at Derby in their most recent match on the road.

• Since losing three in a row against the Rs between August 2010 and October 2017, Sheffield United have only lost one of their past nine league games against Queens Park Rangers (W6 D2).

• Queens Park Rangers have avoided defeat in their past two away league games against Sheffield United (W1 D1), last doing so in more consecutive trips to the Blades between 1992 and 1997 (a run of five).

• Sheffield United have lost their past three Championship games and conceded three goals in each defeat. They have never previously conceded 3+ goals in four straight matches in the second tier (or lower).

• After losing his first league game against Queens Park Rangers in charge of Sheffield United (0-1 in October 2017), Chris Wilder is unbeaten in his past five against them in the Football League with the Blades (W4 D1).

• Callum O'Hare has been directly involved in 55% of Sheffield United's goals in the Championship this season (6/11 – four goals, two assists), with this the highest percentage by any player for a team in the division in 2025-26.

Image source, Getty Images

Queens Park Rangers striker Richard Kone has received his first senior Ivory Coast international call-up for their friendly against Saudi Arabia on 14 November.

The 22-year-old joined the R's from Wycombe Wanderers in August and has scored four goals in 12 Championship appearances so far this season.

Kone received his maiden call-up for Ivory Coast Under-23s in May but did not feature for the side.

However, he has previously represented his country in the 2019 Homeless World Cup.

Managerless Southampton will look to end a five match winless streak as they make the trip to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

The Saints sacked boss Will Still on Sunday after a dismal start to the season sees them just one place above relegation by three points, having lost their past three successive games.

While for the Hoops, it's been a much more topsy-turvy experience.

The London side have won five league games but also lost five so far, though three of those losses have come within the past four games.

• Queens Park Rangers won their first home league game against Southampton this century in January 2006 (1-0), but have since lost five of six home games to the Saints (W1).

• Southampton have won each of their last four league meetings with Queens Park Rangers, and could win five on the bounce against the Rs for the first time in the Football League.

• QPR have taken four points from their two midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) Championship games this season (0-0 v Oxford, 1-0 v Swansea), last avoiding defeat in each of their first three midweek fixtures of a league campaign in 2015-16 under Chris Ramsey (W1 D2).

• Since the start of last season, no team have lost more away games in the top two divisions of English football than Southampton (18 – level with Watford).

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong has scored six goals across his last seven league appearances against Queens Park Rangers, only netting more times across his English league career against Birmingham City (8).

Queen's Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says his side will need to work better as a group after the Loftus Road club shipped four goals at home to Ipswich on Saturday.

Speaking after the 4-1 defeat, Stephan told BBC Radio London: "It is a disappointing result but it was the one we deserved.

"It wasn't too bad for the first 60 minutes, I thought the first half was good and we reacted well to going a goal down.

"But the second goal came too quickly at the beginning of the second half and to concede so early in both halves against a very good team with good players is difficult, and then the third goal killed us mentally.

"I will be honest in the analysis of this game with the players, including what we did well as well as the big mistakes. After that it is just a question of learning.

"There are good examples to show the players as well, but we need to correct the negatives too because you cannot concede four at home. We need to be better collectively going forward.

"This is a good team, and a good group, and that shines through in difficult moments. We have the chance to react [against Southampton] on Wednesday."

QPR will seek to get back on track at home when Ipswich visit on Saturday (15:00 GMT) seeking to break their winless away run.

After a six-match unbeaten streak, in which the R's claimed 14 points, Julien Stephan's side have now lost two of their past three, going down 1-0 at Derby last time out, while they saw their unbeaten start at Loftus Road ended by Millwall the previous week.

Kieran McKenna's men are two points and three places below the ninth-placed Hoops but bounced back from consecutive defeats with a 1-0 home win over West Brom last Saturday.

They have however taken just two points from their opening four away games, while the fifth at Blackburn was abandoned late-on with the Tractor Boys trailing.

• QPR have won six of their past seven home league games against Ipswich Town (L1), though that sole loss came in their last meeting at Loftus Road in August 2023.

• Ipswich Town have won just three of their past 14 league games against QPR (D2 L9), but did win 1-0 away and draw 0-0 at home in the last campaign in which these two sides met (2023-24).

• QPR have won just two of their past 11 home league games (D5 L4), averaging just one goal per game during that time.

• Ipswich are winless across their past eight away league games (D4 L4), since a 2-1 win at Bournemouth in April – the Tractor Boys could lose back-to-back games on the road outside of the top-flight for the first time since December 2021 in League One (vs Sunderland and Charlton).

• Ipswich Town's Jack Clarke has scored four goals as a substitute so far this season in the Championship, at least twice as many as any other player.

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says he does not want his side to feel "pressure" heading into two home games against Ipswich Town (Saturday, 15:00 GMT) and Southampton (Wednesday, 19:45 GMT).

The Hoops have only lost one game at home so far this season, though it did come in their previous match at Loftus Road in the London derby defeat by Millwall.

"I just want to see my players and my team playing with confidence," Stephan told BBC Radio London. "No pressure, just pleasure to play two games at home with our fans.

"We want to restart a good run at home. Against Ipswich, we know it will be difficult.

"They are very dominant - in possession, out of possession. It's a very strong team but each game is a new history. It's our role and our objective to write a good history for this game."

Listen to the full interview with Stephan and more QPR content on BBC Sounds.

Derby County will look to turn their season around as they host Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Rams put an end to five league match winless streak when they beat Norwich City in the week to lift themselves out of catching distance of the bottom three.

Visitors QPR will be a different task though, with the side up the other end of the table and eyeing a place in the top six.

• Derby have lost five of their last seven league games against QPR (W2), losing 4-0 in the most recent meeting in February.

• QPR have only lost one of their last four away league games against Derby (W2 D1) but it came in the most recent visit last season, losing 2-0.

• Derby have won just one of their last nine home league games (D5 L3), though it did come in their last outing at Pride Park vs Norwich City in midweek (1-0).

• QPR have won six of their last nine away league games (D1 L2), as many as in their previous 25 on the road (D8 L11).

• Derby's Patrick Agyemang has been involved in four of their last five league goals (1 goal, 3 assists); since the start of September only Ryan Giles (5) has more Championship assists.