The race for Premier League survival takes another twist on Tuesday night as relegation-threatened Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers meet in a crunch game at Villa Park.

Queens Park Rangers travel to the Midlands for the second time in four days having ended a five-game losing streak on their first trip with a resounding 4-1 victory at West Brom on Saturday.

Chris Ramsey's side are yet to win two games in a row this season and, should they claim three points, Rangers will not only achieve that but they will also claim back-to-back away win in the Premier League for the first time since September 1995, while also boosting their survival hopes.

After an impressive start to life at Villa Park, Tim Sherwood's tenure as manager has hit rough ground after consecutive defeats to Swansea and Manchester United.

Villa have a good home record against the Hoops, having won five and drawn one of their league games against them at Villa Park, and a victory would see them move six points clear of their relegation rivals with just six games to play.

A QPR victory would see them draw level Villa and further intensify the race for Premier League safety. 

Team news

Sherwood is definitely without a trio of key players for Villa's key game with QPR.

Alan Hutton limped off in Saturday's defeat at Old Trafford with an ankle problem and has been ruled out of Tuesday's game along with Scott Sinclair and Ashley Westwood.

Philippe Senderos and Kieran Richardson (both calf) are doubts along with Tom Cleverley (adductor) and Aly Cissokho (groin) - although they are training - while Libor Kozak is sidelined as he continues to recover from a broken leg.

QPR will have to manage without Chilean winger Eduardo Vargas and South Korean left-back Yun Suk-young.

Vargas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury sustained in the 4-1 win at West Brom, while Yun will not travel for precautionary reasons after suffering a head injury in the same match.

Ramsey is also without knee-injury victims Richard Dunne, Leroy Fer and Alejandro Faurlin - and Darnell Furlong is still sidelined with a calf problem.

Opta facts

Aston Villa have scored just seven goals in their last 20 Premier League matches against London sides, and never more than once in a match in that time (W2 D3 L15).

Christian Benteke has scored four goals in his last four league games for Tim Sherwood’s side, more than he had netted in his previous 21 (3).

Charlie Austin has been involved in 20 of QPR’s 35 league goals this season (16 goals, four assists).

The last season that Queens Park Rangers won both home and away in the league against Aston Villa was back in 1986/87.

QPR’s last league win at Villa Park came back in March 1992 (1-0). QPR have scored in each of their last 12 Premier League matches against Aston Villa.

Aston Villa have won just one of their last eight Premier League home games (W1 D3 L4). Villa have failed to find the net in four of these eight matches.

Merson's prediction

This game may be taking place midweek because of Aston Villa’s FA Cup semi-final engagement on April 20 but arguably the visit of QPR is just as important, if not more. If Tim Sherwood’s side can grab victory they will go a long way to securing their top flight status for another season and that would have been the goal for the new manager when he took the reins. Sherwood will have them fully focused and I can’t see anything but a win for the home side.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0

Betting

Aston Villa are favoured in both the match and relegation betting ahead of Tuesday’s clash, with Tim Sherwood’s men 11/10 for the victory and 3/1 for relegation. QPR travel to Villa Park as 5/2 outsiders for the win and 23/10 to secure a draw, with their odds on staying up even bigger at 3/1. In the goalscorer betting, Christian Benteke is clear favourite at 9/2 with Charlie Austin following at 6/1, while the pair are 6/1 to both find the net.