Stoke vs Queens Park Rangers predictions: Close contest likely in the Potteries
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- Stoke have lost only one of their last eight home games
- QPR have not won any of their last five matches
- Recommended bet: Draw
Stoke return to action in the Championship only one point above the relegation zone after four defeats in their last six league matches.
QPR are six points and five places better off but manager Marti Cifuentes had plenty to ponder over the international break as his side have taken only one point from their last five outings and have lost seven of their last 10 games.
Rangers were ninth in the table before that run and eyeing up a play-off challenge but they will be happy just to stay clear of trouble now.
The London club have had a tough run of fixtures, with their last four matches all being against top-eight teams in Sheffield United, West Brom, Middlesbrough and Leeds, and the point against the Whites was an excellent result.
Even so, QPR led 2-0 after 30 minutes of that match before being pegged back to extend their winless run to five games.
Mark Robins joined Stoke in January after leaving Coventry in November but has not been able to keep his former club in his sights and has steered his new team to only three wins so far.
The first meeting between the teams was a 1-1 draw in November when Stoke took a first-half lead but QPR claimed a share of the spoils through an own goal.
Team news
Stoke's international contingent have all returned injury-free and manager Robins said Enda Stevens and Ben Gibson are close to returning from injury, while Sol Sidibe remains sidelined. Striker Ali Al-Hamadi has been able to train after pulling out of international duty due to injury.
QPR will be without midfielder Koki Saito, who is suspended after being sent off in the closing stages of the draw against Leeds.
Captain Steve Cook has been ruled out due to a foot injury. Jonathan Varane and Alfie Lloyd could return to the squad but Zan Celar, Ilias Chair and Jake Clarke-Salter are still out.
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The stats
Stoke have drawn eight of their 19 home league matches this season.
Both teams have scored in only one of Stoke's last four games.
There have been under 2.5 goals in six of Stoke's last eight home league matches.
Only one of the last nine meetings between these teams has produced over 2.5 goals.
Exactly one goal has been scored in QPR's last three visits to Stoke.
QPR have taken only one point from their last five games.
Prediction
Stoke have been hard to beat at home under Robins, with Middlesbrough the only visiting team to take three points from a trip to the Potteries so far in 2025, but the hosts don't win often enough to be a confident pick to win this game as favourites.
Stoke have won only six of their 19 home league games, with seven of their last 13 league and cup fixtures being drawn.
QPR's draw against Leeds was their first match without a winner in 2025 but another draw could follow hot on its heels.
The teams drew 1-1 in their first meeting and another close contest looks likely with only one of the teams' last nine encounters having produced more than two goals.
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