Championship expert shares QPR vs Sheffield United score prediction as ‘reality’ finally catches up with one team

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It’s another tantalising round of fixtures in the Championship this weekend, and the score predictions for QPR vs Sheffield United suggest we’ve got a fascinating contest on our hands.

Over the last week in the Championship, we have seen Leeds United go one step closer to the title, Sunderland lose ground in the automatic promotion race, and Coventry City continue their assault on the play-offs.

Down at the other end of the table, Hull City lost a key clash with Cardiff City to leave their second tier status hanging in the balance.

Last time out, QPR fell to a disappointing defeat against Portsmouth, bringing Marti Cifuentes’ side crashing back down to earth after a stunning 4-0 win over Derby County in the previous game.

Can QPR get back to winning ways at home to a very strong Sheffield United team, or will the Blades find their sharpness once more?

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Experts conflicted on Sheffield United’s chances vs QPR

On the latest episode of the Championship Check-In podcast, hosts Benjamin Bloom and Sam Parkin discussed the upcoming game between QPR and Sheffield United, with plenty of mitigating factors potentially swinging this game in an unexpected direction.

Parkin said: “I think the reality struck a couple of times recently for QPR. I talked them up as having an outside chance of getting into the mix. There are some really tough fixtures for QPR, really tough – they play all the heavyweights.

“So I think Sheffield United will be buoyant after their display on Monday [against Leeds United]. They’ll win by the odd goal, 2-1 to the Blades.”

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
12	MillwallMillwall	34	11	12	11	34	34	0	45
13	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	34	12	9	13	46	54	-8	45
14	QPRQPR	34	11	11	12	40	43	-3	44
15	PrestonPreston	34	9	15	10	36	41	-5	42
16	SwanseaSwansea	34	11	7	16	37	46	-9	40

Bloom can see it going another way, though, suggesting Chris Wilder’s United side have been riding their luck for a while now, and will finally get caught out.

He added: “I’m going to back the draw here. Sheffield United have had a couple of close calls. They won late on against Luton, every man and his dog said Portsmouth should have got something at Bramall Lane, and they only won by one against Derby County.

“I’ll go down the middle here, a 2-2 draw. It would then be a seven-point lead for Leeds at the top of the table.”

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QPR will be looking over their shoulders at relegation battle

QPR are in that tricky position right now of not really being close enough to the play-offs, and not necessarily being in danger of relegation. They are 14 points clear of the bottom three, and seven away from sixth place as things stand.

You might think that puts them in with a half chance of sneaking into the Championship play-off places, but their run-in is incredibly difficult from here on out.

Their next four games alone are against three teams from the top six, and Middlesbrough, who until recently were right up there, too. Cifuentes’ side also still need to play eight-placed Bristol City, the relentless Burnley, and fourth-placed Sunderland.

Assuming they don’t get anything from those seven games, a lot will be riding on the other five matches they have coming up against the teams around them like Oxford United and Preston North End.

QPR should have enough quality to steer clear of any trouble come the end of the season, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see them end up a lot closer to the bottom three than the top six in a few weeks time.