QPR are the next team to face Paul Warne’s Rotherham United in the Sky Bet Championship at the AESSEAL New York Stadium. We take a look at who the Millers are facing in our opposition analysis…
In the Dugout
Steve McClaren will be in the dugout for QPR. The 57-year old played as a midfielder for Hull City, Derby County, Lincoln City, Bristol City and Oxford United, making a combined 305 appearances. He’s most famous for his playing days at Hull where he made 178 appearances for the Tigers and scored 16 goals. He won one honour as a player, which was the Football League Second Division in the 86/87 season.
As a manager, he has managed a variety of clubs including England in 2006/07. He managed Middlesbrough, FC Twente, Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Newcastle United as well as QPR. He has won the Football League Cup for Middlesbrough in 2004 while winning the Eredivisie with FC Twente in 2009/10. He joined QPR in the summer after leaving Derby County in March 2018.
Stats
QPR currently sit ninth in the Championship table, four points off the Play-offs. QPR have won three of their last five, losing one and drawing one. In their last game, QPR drew 2-2 away at Stoke City. Defender Angel Rangel scored a brace for the first time in his career to secure a point for the Hoops with Saido Berahino and Joe Allen scoring for Stoke.
Previous Meetings
This is the 17th meeting between these sides with the Millers winning five of these fixtures. QPR have won seven while there have been four draws. QPR have won four of the last five meetings between these sides including the last time these teams met. Rotherham lost 5-1 away last time out in March 2017. Joe Newell scored for Rotherham on the day with a thunderbolt of a strike but goals by QPR’s Matt Smith, Luke Freeman, Yeni N'Gbakoto, Massimo Luongo and Nedum Onuoha sealed all three points for the Hoops.
Ones to Watch
Our Ones to Watch start with goalkeeper Joe Lumley. The 23-year old started at Tottenham Hotspur before joining QPR in 2010. He has had a variety of loan spells across the Football League which include Blackpool, Accrington Stanley, Morecambe, Stevenage and Bristol Rovers.
In defence, Wales international Joel Lynch is likely to be at the heart of the defence. He has represented Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town throughout his career before joining QPR in 2016. He has made over 300 career appearances and scored 17 goals.
In midfield, Eberechi Eze is the main threat. After a successful loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers, the former Arsenal and Fulham youth is the joint top scorer for QPR with three, as well as having three assists. The England U20 midfielder could partner Australian international Massimo Luongo. The former Tottenham man has scored two this season and represented Australia at the FIFA 2018 World Cup.
Upfront, on loan duo Nahki Wells and Tomer Hemed have form at this level. The duo, on loan from Burnley and Brighton respectively, have been a force in the Championship before and have scored five goals between them this season.