Match Pack: QPR v Watford

• QPR v Watford
• Sky Bet Championship
• MATRADE Loftus Road
• Sunday January 14, 12pm KO
• Yellow and black home kit

• Referee: Simon Hooper
• Assistant Referees: Adrian Holmes & Simon Long
• Fourth Official: Josh Smith

Queens Park Rangers currently sit in 23rd place in the Sky Bet Championship, four points adrift of safety.

The Hoops visited Vicarage Road on the opening day when the Hornets started the campaign in style with a 4-0 victory.

Watford were due to travel to Loftus Road to begin their camapign but the home and away fixtures were switched due to ground renovations at their opposition's stadium.

Hammarby boss Marti Cifuentes was appointed as QPR's new Head Coach in October after the club parted company with Gareth Ainsworth.

His side lost 3-2 to AFC Bournemouth in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday (January 6) after they had led the Premier League club 2-0 at half-time.

In the league, QPR are without a win in six games. Their last victory was a 2-0 success over Hull City on December 9, at the time their third win in a row.

After more than nine years at QPR, Chris Ramsey left his role as Technical Director and Head of Coaching this week. This week also saw Christian Nourry replace Lee Hoos as Chief Executive.

• QPR have only lost three of their last 27 home league games against Watford – in two of those seasons, the Hornets won promotion (1998/99 and 2005/06).

• Watford are looking for their first league double over QPR since the 2005/06 campaign under Aidy Boothroyd.

• Watford’s last four away league games have seen 18 goals scored, with both sides finding the net in each game. Indeed, since the start of December, the Hornets have scored four more away goals than any other Championship side (12).

Jamal Lewis will miss out again for Watford with a hamstring strain, in the hope he'll be fit to return to training next week.

The club is targeting the Emirates FA Cup tie with Southampton, due to be played over the weekend of January 27 and 28, for the return of Ken Sema.

Vakoun Bayo will serve the third match of his three-game suspension following his red card against Stoke City.

Edo Kayembe has returned to the club from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Democratic Republic of Congo with a calf injury, and will be assessed.

Valérien Ismaël, Watford Head Coach:

"It's an away game, it's always tough. We know that we have to be ready and focused on ourselves to make sure that we do the basics right. They changed their manager so it's another team, a more possession-based team. We are focused and ready for the challenge."

QPR Assistant Head Coach Xavier Calm:

"We now have a month with important games at home. Loftus Road is special for us. The most important game of the season is the next one. Let's focus on this game and put everything into it."

Overall:

Won: 34
Drawn: 31
Lost: 53

Last Six:

August 2023: Watford 4-0 QPR (Championship)
March 2023: QPR 1-0 Watford (Championship)
August 2022: Watford 2-3 QPR (Championship)
February 2021: Watford 1-2 QPR (Championship)
November 2020: QPR 1-1 Watford (Championship)
February 2019: QPR 0-1 Watford (FA Cup)

Watford started the season with a bang by beating QPR 4-0 at Vicarage Road in August, with Tom Dele-Bashiru scoring the opening goal after just 36 seconds.