Blackburn Rovers play host to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their unbeaten record in the Championship to seven matches. At a time when the home side sit in fifth position in the standings, the visitors to Ewood Park are down in 14th spot despite their own five-match undefeated streak. Although Blackburn ended last season on a high, their supporters would not necessarily have expected such a promising start to this campaign. Even with Sammie Szmodics having been sold to Ipswich Town, John Eustace's side have still managed to accumulate 12 points from their opening six matches. Rovers have followed a win-draw pattern since the opening game, scoring in every fixture up until last weekend's goalless draw at Preston North End. That represented Blackburn's third successive draw on their travels, with each of their three victories being recorded at Ewood Park. Nine goals have been scored in triumphs over Derby County, Oxford United and Bristol City, while back-to-back clean sheets have been kept in their last two fixtures. As for QPR, they make the trip to the North-West having put together a five-match streak without suffering defeat, their only reverse in the league this season coming at home to leaders West Bromwich Albion. Marti Cifuentes will be disappointed with the four draws that have been posted in five games, yet it has extended a run of just one loss in nine matches when taking the back end of last season into consideration. Since posting a 2-1 win at Luton Town before the international break, the Hoops have recorded 1-1 draws with Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall respectively. The main downside to their form is that they are yet to keep a shutout in the second tier this season. Eustace will be forced into at least one Blackburn change after left-back Owen Beck was sent off against Preston. Harry Pickering will come into the side, while Eustace will also consider recalling the likes of Andreas Weimann and Makhtar Gueye. Todd Cantwell and Amario Cozier-Duberry are in contention for their first starts since arriving at Ewood Park during the final hours of the transfer window. If Cifuentes opts to tinker with his QPR XI, Paul Smyth could be selected on the flank instead of Koki Saito. The rest of the team could stay the same with Morgan Fox and Ilias Chair remaining on the sidelines through injury. With QPR proving difficult to beat of late, Blackburn could have their work cut out in this fixture. Nevertheless, we are backing Eustace's side to come through with the three points, potentially with a goal in each half. ## Team News and Injury Updates The injury news coming out of Blackburn suggests that there could be some changes to the starting XI. John Eustace will be without Owen Beck, who is suspended following his red card in the goalless draw against Preston North End. This means that Harry Pickering is likely to start at left-back. Eustace could also make changes in the midfield and attack, with players like Andreas Weimann and Makhtar Gueye looking to make an impact. New signings Todd Cantwell and Amario Cozier-Duberry are also in contention for their first starts. Queens Park Rangers, on the other hand, could be boosted by the return of star attacker Ilias Chair. The Moroccan forward, who scored at Ewood Park last season, is yet to feature in the Championship this season due to a back issue. QPR have lacked a spark in the final third without their talisman but he could return this weekend. The club posted footage of Chair back in first-team training earlier this week, much to the delight of their supporters. Marti Cifuentes has been coy on giving an exact time frame for Chair's return but he could play a part from the bench on Saturday. ## Key Player Battles One key player battle to watch will be between Blackburn's Yuki Ohashi and QPR's Lyndon Dykes. Ohashi has been in excellent form for Blackburn this season, scoring 6 goals in all competitions, making him one of the team's top scorers. He's a key player for Blackburn. Dykes, on the other hand, is QPR's most important player. He is the team's top scorer and has been crucial in their offensive performance. ## Match Prediction Blackburn Rovers' strong start to the season suggests that they should be able to pick up three points in this fixture. Their record at Ewood Park is excellent and they have been particularly impressive in front of goal. QPR, despite their unbeaten run, have struggled to score goals and have drawn too many games. However, they are a tough team to beat and will be looking to cause an upset. Given the form of both sides and the home advantage for Blackburn, we predict a victory for the home side. The final score could be 2-1 to Blackburn, but QPR are likely to make it a close encounter. ## Verdict Blackburn Rovers vs Queens Park Rangers is a match that has the potential to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams are in good form and have players who can make a difference. The key for Blackburn will be to maintain their strong start to the season and avoid any complacency. For QPR, the key will be to find a way to break down Blackburn's defense and get a goal. ## Blackburn Rovers vs Queens Park Rangers: Last 5 Meetings * Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Queens Park Rangers (26th February 2022) * Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Blackburn Rovers (30th July 2022) * Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Queens Park Rangers (30th July 2023) * Queens Park Rangers 1-3 Blackburn Rovers (25th February 2023) * Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Queens Park Rangers (3rd February 2024) ## Where to Watch The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ in the UK. You can also follow the game live on VAVEL. ## Last 5 Matches Blackburn Rovers * Preston North End 0-0 Blackburn Rovers (Championship - 22nd September 2024) * Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Bristol City (Championship - 14th September 2024) * Burnley 1-1 Blackburn Rovers (Championship - 31st August 2024) * Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Blackpool (EFL Cup - 27th August 2024) * Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Oxford United (Championship - 24th August 2024) Queens Park Rangers * Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Millwall (Championship - 21st September 2024) * Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Queens Park Rangers (Championship - 14th September 2024) * Luton Town 1-2 Queens Park Rangers (Championship - 30th August 2024) * Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Luton Town (EFL Cup - 27th August 2024) * West Bromwich Albion 3-1 Queens Park Rangers (Championship - 3rd August 2024)