It’s a crunch match on Sunday noon as sixth placed Luton Town host seventh placed Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at Kenilworth Road Stadium in the EFL Championship. When these two teams met in the reverse fixture back in November 2021, it was QPR that came out on top with a 2-0 victory at Loftus Road Stadium. Chris Willock and Charlie Austin scored the goals in that match. Coming into this game, Luton Town won 1-0 away at Coventry City, and QPR suffered their third loss in five games after losing at home 1-2 to Cardiff City.
Luton Town won their previous match 1-0 against Coventry City at the City of Coventry Stadium. Elijah Adebayo scored the only goal of the game in the 38th minute. Luton’s record after the match stands at 16 wins, nine draws, and 10 losses. Luton have now won four out of their last five games in the league. Luton have scored 48 goals so far this season, the same as their xG predicted.
Luton Town have rarely missed big chances inside the oppositions’ six-yard box, as seen above in the shot map. Elijah Adebayo is the team’s top goalscorer this season, with thirteen goals to his name. Harry Cornick, the team’s second-highest goalscorer so far this season, has massively overachieved on his xG. He has scored nine goals till now, whereas xG predicted him to score only five goals.
James Bree is Luton’s chief threat creator, primarily from the right wing. He has created twice the threat of the team’s next best creator. James Bree produces most of his threats from crosses and corners.
Queens Park Rangers arrive into this encounter with a 1-2 home loss against Cardiff City. This loss is their third in their last five matches. After this loss, QPR now have 16 wins, eight draws, and 11 losses. xG predicted QPR to score 41 goals till now, but they have overachieved by scoring 50 goals so far this season.
Despite this overachievement in goalscoring, QPR remain a rather average team in the ‘Passing & Progression’ column, as shown in the above chart. They score below 65% in five categories: assists per 90, expected assists (xA) per 90, long ball accuracy, key passes per 90, and smart passes per 90. QPR will have to improve their creativity to make the promotion play-off spots.
Both Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers clash in this must-win game knowing that the victor will have the edge over the other to qualify for the promotion play-off spots.
