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It's not been an easy few weeks for Marti Cifuentes, he's seen his side go winless in six Championship games, losing four of them, and the Rs were ousted from the FA Cup having led Bournemouth last weekend.

He will however be encouraged by his side's positive start to proceedings here - they have certainly been the more positive, particularly down the left where they are lifted by the return of Ilias Chair, a talismanic talent.

Derek Payne
Former Watford midfielder for BBC Three Counties Radio

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The ball that is hurting Watford is the ball over the top for Sinclair Armstrong. If they switch off, he will be in behind.

Definitely a bobble hat, scarf and sunglasses day if you're sat in the main stand at QPR this afternoon. A classic winter look, I'm sure we can all agree.

The positive football will have warmed the locals in the opening half-dozen or so minutes but the, er, quieter last 10 might have just brought them back to chilly reality.

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The last time Valerien Ismael's Watford side beat QPR they failed to win their following 10 matches and sunk into the Championship relegation zone.

He'll certainly be aiming to complete the Hornets first double over the Rs in near two decades today, but will hope to continue the momentum into a play-off push this time around.

What a last-ditch challenge that is from Jake Clarke-Salter, diving in to prevent Matheus Martins latching on to Giorgi Chakvetadze's cute ball in behind.

A fraction of a second later and that would have been a nailed-on penalty.

Watford keeper Ben Hamer races out of his area to bravely outjump Sinclair Armstrong and head clear a bouncing ball sent forward by Lyndon Dykes.

Armstrong seeking a first goal in 21 league appearances (he did score in the FA Cup last week) and showing early signs that he wants it today.

Early negative for the hosts is Sam Field going into the book for an ill-advised challenge inside five minutes.

All-action start.

Image source, Rex Features

Steve Brown
Former Charlton Athletic defender on BBC Radio London

Excellent ball in from Kenneth Paal, it was nice and high. It was a brilliant delivery, back post, six yards out - I'm sorry but Sinclair Armstrong has to hit the target.

It's a free header, you've just got to head it downwards, the timing of the header was really poor.

Ilias Chair is back in the Rs line-up after missing two games and immediately asking questions down the left, and linking up nicely with Kenneth Paal.

Chris Willock bends a ball high and wide of the top corner from a testing angle and moments later Sinclair Armstrong slams a free header at the far post off-target from a teasing left-wing cross.

Hoops started the brighter in the bright January sun.

Few sharp intakes of breath from Hornets fans as a couple of passes near their own area narrowly evade interceptions from Hoops players.

Playing out from the back is not for those of a nervy disposition, it's fair to say.

QPR have avoided conceding in the opening 33 seconds at least. Progress from August.

Can they improve on their nine-point haul from 12 home matches today though?

Away we go... the early Sunday lunchtime starter is served... who will snatch these precious points?

If you're doing dry January and haven't gone to the pub for this one, but still want to have a natter about the game with other fans, why not engage with our own community right here, either by texting, messaging on WhatsApp or messaging using the #bbcefl on the social platform X, which you might remember better as Twitter.

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Valerien Ismael probably has fond memories of his first encounter with QPR as Hornets boss.

On a sunny Saturday in early August he took charge of his first match and saw his side go 1-0 up after just 33 seconds and make the points safe before the break, when they declared on their 4-0 lead.

Today the visitors go in search of their first league double over the Hoops since 2005-06 – when they won promotion to the Premier League under Aidy Boothroyd, fans will probably recall.

If they can pick up the points today they will climb to eighth in the Championship and just a point behind the play-off places.

They are the form team on the road over the last eight games, picking up 15 points and winning three straight before a 3-3 draw at Plymouth last time out.

Will their fans be dreaming of promotion in a couple of hours?

QPR are winless in six and have won only two of their last dozen Championship home games, however there might just be a couple of reasons to be cheerful for Rs fans today.

The Hoops have only lost three of their last 27 home league games against Watford.

They did also enjoy a 1-0 win in this fixture last March, which ultimately helped Gareth Ainsworth’s side remain in the division.

No side has lost more at home that Rangers’ seven defeats this season, but if they can repeat the trick this afternoon they will move above Sheffield Wednesday into 22nd and within two points of Huddersfield.

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Valerien Ismael makes two changes to Watford's starting XI - Ben Hamer returns in goal for Daniel Bachmann, as he did in the last Championship game, the 3-3 draw at Plymouth, while Ryan Andrews comes in and Rhys Healey makes his first league start for the club.

Both Ismael Kone and Ryan Porteous have been ill, so are only able to be on the bench.

Watford XI: Hamer; Andrews, Sierralta, Hoedt, Morris; Livermore, Dele-Bashiru, Chakvetadze; Asprilla, Healey, Martins.

Subs: Bachmann, Porteous, Ince, Rajovic, Kone, Pollock, Hurtado, Coyne, Grieves.

Image source, Rex Features

Chris Willock, Ilias Chair and Jack Colback are all back in the QPR squad and in the starting XI - it's just the second time this season all three have started for the Rs.

Sinclair Armstrong and Lyndon Dykes scored in the FA Cup third-round defeat by Bournemouth last weekend, and both start here.

QPR XI: Begovic, Cannon, Dunne, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Field, Colback, Willock, Dykes, Chair, Armstrong.

Subs: Salamon, Cook, Smyth, Fox, Dozzell, Dixon-Bonner, Larkeche, Drewe, Adomah.

Image source, Rex Features

... to a Sunday packed with fantastic sporting offerings.

No matter the shape and size of the ball sport you like, there is something for everyone in one time zone or another across the next 14 hours or so.

What better way to kick-off the action than with the final EFL offering of a bumper weekend - right here in good old GMT?

It’s just over 12 miles as a crow flies from Vicarage Road to Loftus Road, so about an hour and five minutes in London traffic.

Both teams have bigger rivals but for QPR and Watford this will be no cordial Sunday lunchtime meeting as vital points are at stake.

Our coverage starts here…