Stoke vs QPR

Stoke City will host Queens Park Rangers at the bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night in the Championship in a match that is loaded with significance for the team at the bottom of the table.

The Potters' terrible run of form continued against managerless Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, but the R's managed to earn a point from their game with Norwich City on the same day.Despite Niall Ennis's first goal for the team, Stoke ended up with no points from their 37-minute first-half horrors, their fourth straight loss in the Championship since the close victory against relegation-threatened Rotherham United.

The division's top scorer, Sammie Szmodics, only managed to break through Daniel Iversen's net once, and lively attacker Tyrhys Dolan scored a brace for Damien Johnson's Rovers. The visiting Potters faced an uphill battle, one that proved too great for a team that has won just two of their previous 17 second-tier games.

With 15 games remaining in the Championship, Stoke's terrible run of results has left them in 20th position, only three points clear of 22nd-placed QPR. Steven Schumacher was brought in from Plymouth Argyle to help Stoke move into the debate for the top six.

The Potters spent a great deal of their January hiring forward options, but it now looks like their defense is in serious need of improvement after surrendering 13 goals in their past four games, all of which resulted in dismal losses.Winger Andre Vidigal, who joined from Portuguese team Maritimo during the summer transfer window, leads his team's Golden Boot competition with five goals in 23 games so far in 2023–24. The only other Potters player with more than two league goals is Ryan Mmaee.

With eight points from their past four league games—including a share of the spoils against Norwich last time out—Queens Park Rangers have fought their way back into contention for second-tier survival after going seven games without a victory in the Championship.

Jack Colback's first goal was canceled out by Canaries goals in the second half from Kenny McLean and American Josh Sargent. However, the R's refused to accept a crushing defeat as January additions Lucas Andersen and Michael Frey combined to score an equalizer.

Marti Cifuentes's team is on the verge of emerging from the bottom three after defeats against Millwall, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, and Stoke on Wednesday. They are currently only two points behind the 21st-place Terriers ahead of a trip to the bet365 Stadium.

The R's have competed in the free and loan markets to give themselves an advantage in the fight for second-tier survival, with Joe Hodge and Isaac Hayden entering from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United, respectively, aside from the £1.5 million acquisition of Swiss striker Frey from Royal Antwerp.

Even though QPR has players like Chris Willock, Lyndon Dykes, and Ilias Chair among its West London ranks, full-back Kenneth Paal is presently the team's top scorer in the Championship with four goals in 31 appearances, which is his best-ever return in a single season.