Cardiff vs QPR preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football Red Button
Watch live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app from 7.40pm on Wednesday; Kick-off is at 7.45pm
Wednesday 2 October 2019 16:28, UK
Cardiff face QPR in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday. Coverage gets underway live on Sky Sports Football Red Button at 7.40pm; Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Team news
Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge will be eyeing a return to the first team when the Bluebirds host QPR on Wednesday. Etheridge has not played since picking up a hamstring injury in the opening-day defeat to Wigan but has been an unused substitute in Cardiff's two most recent fixtures, with Alex Smithies keeping his place between the posts.
Robert Glatzel made a goalscoring return to the starting XI in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Hull, having sat out the win against Middlesbrough through illness. The Bluebirds were dealt a blow last week when Isaac Vassell was ruled out for two months with a torn quad.
QPR captain Grant Hall is available for selection. The centre-back missed the games against Millwall and West Brom through injury after he sustained a knock in training.
Manager Mark Warburton will be without suspended Yoann Barbet, however. The French defender was sent off during his side's 2-0 defeat to the Baggies on Saturday and is suspended for the trip to the Welsh capital.
Recent form
Cardiff's inability to kill off games has cost them dear in recent weeks. They just about salvaged a 2-2 draw against Hull at the weekend, which was one of three draws from their last four games, following 1-1 draws against Derby and Fulham. There was a 1-0 win among that unbeaten run, however, thanks to an Ashley Fletcher own-goal.
Saturday lunchtime's defeat to West Brom was Rangers' first in four league games; a streak where they beat Millwall, Luton, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan, conceding just five goals in the process.
What the managers said...
Cardiff boss Neil Warnock: "We've got two tough games in the space of a few days. QPR could have gone top had they beaten West Brom on Saturday and West Brom of course are top going into these midweek fixtures. The lads are really looking forward to this though; we've improved over the past few weeks and have a couple of lads coming back from injury.
"They've got a mixture of experience and youth, with one or two of the best young players in the league. So, we know how difficult it's going to be on Wednesday night, but we've got some very good players who are in form as well. I think it promises to be a cracking game."
QPR boss Mark Warburton: "The good thing about football is you have a very swift chance to make amends. We get back in the early hours of Thursday morning. Although it's all about the next game, from my point of view I've got to be thinking about Saturday.
"We know what we face, it's another very, very tough encounter. We know that Cardiff will be very direct. They're very good at what they do. They have very talented players, they'll be direct, they'll get the ball in the box, they'll have set-pieces and they can play. Don't underestimate them, they can play."
Talking point - Can Rangers return to winning ways?
Barring Saturday's defeat to West Brom, QPR have been brilliant in recent weeks and had won four league games on the spin prior to that. Mark Warburton's side were unfancied at the start of the season, but they've proven doubters wrong with some decent performances, particularly since the international break.
Nahki Wells has been right among the goals, too, but the Bluebirds will provide a stern test on Wednesday night. Their direct style under Neil Warnock has borne plenty of draws of late and could prove incredibly frustrating.
Latest highlights
Opta stats
Cardiff have picked up just one win in their last eight league matches against QPR (W1 D3 L4), winning 2-1 in August 2017.
QPR haven't lost consecutive away league visits to Cardiff since October 1980, with this their 14th game there since then.
Having lost two of their opening three league games this season, Cardiff are now unbeaten in their last six in the Championship (W2 D4).
QPR have won four of their last five away league games (L1), as many as they had in their previous 27 on the road (W4 D7 L16).
Only Brentford have had fewer different goalscorers (excluding own goals) in the Championship this season than QPR (4). Each of the Hoops' last four league goals have been scored by Nahki Wells.
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 0-1 (0/1)
