QPR v Luton: Rangers can edge enjoyable encounter

“The hosts have endured a solitary home reverse this season and boast a 48% win rate here in league fixtures going back to the beginning of 2020/21”

QPR pick up a point in Blackpool

QPR signed off for the international break by taking four points from a possible six in back-to-back away games at Cardiff (1-0) and Blackpool (1-1). The results kept Mark Warburton‘s men in the top-six with the Super Hoops impressing in the Welsh capital before riding their luck at a blustery Bloomfield Road – Chris Willock‘s stunner gave the guests a first-half lead.

However, a defensive lapse allowed Blackpool to level from the penalty spot soon after the interval. Yoann Barbet failed to deal with a diagonal ball, and goalkeeper Seny Dieng brought down Jordan Gabriel, resulting in the spot-kick. And Warburton admitted post-match there was a degree of frustration in the away dressing room at the final whistle.

Warburton said: “Having got the good goal and defended to half-time, to give away such a soft goal was a simple mistake. We’ve got to take care of the football, clear our lines and deal with it. That’s the frustration. We’re sitting in a heated dressing room frustrated that we’re only coming away with a point, so we’re making good progress.”

Luton lose out to Stoke

Luton fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Stoke in their most recent Championship clash, leaving the Hatters two points off the play-off positions. Both sides managed just two shots on-target with Town struggling for invention when chasing the game – the closest Nathan Jones‘ outfit came to a leveller came when Admiral Muskwe headed against the bar.

Luton were too ponderous in possession and failed to show the same kind of fluency that caught the eye in earlier Kenilworth Road performances. Jones had made two changes for the contest with Amari’i Bell and Allan Campbell coming in, the latter for his first start in almost two months, with Henri Lansbury suspended and Dan Potts missing out.

Analysing the encounter post-match, Jones said: “It was a bit of a war of attrition first-half, not much happening. Then they showed the one bit of quality in the game. That was the story of it. We went to sleep and it’s a poor goal to give away. Second half we just lacked the quality in the final third to put a cross on the money and, when we did, we hit the bar.”

QPR claimed the home and away Championship double over Luton last season, extending their strong supremacy against Town going back over the past 33 years. Rangers have returned W11-D8-L1 in head-to-head league meetings, whilst boasting a super strong W8-D5-L0 record when welcoming the Hatters to West London since 1984.

QPR 2.245/4 have enjoyed an eye-catching 2021. Only Bournemouth (79) have collected more Championship points this calendar year than the R’s (71) with only Coventry (42) picking up more points at home than Rangers (39) in the same sequence (W12-D3-L5). The Hoops have also W7-D5-L2 this term when excluding the breakaway top-three in the division.

Luton 3.3512/5 have continued their upward trajectory under Nathan Jones in 2021/22 yet Town have managed only W3-D3-L5 when excluding the bottom-four teams in the league. The visitors have conceded multiple goals in five of eight road trips and are chasing successive away wins in the capital for the first time since way back in 2016/17.

QPR remain the only Championship side to score in all 17 of their league encounters thus far, and the home side have been involved in plenty of enjoyable contests. Games have averaged 3.06 goals, with 12/17 (71%) banking for Both Teams To Score bettors. A repeat could be on the cards with Luton striking twice in all four road trips at top-half teams.

With the 1.664/6 a little too short to support for BTTS, we can add QPR Double Chance to the equation for a much more palatable 2.09 option via the Bet Builder. The hosts have endured a solitary home reverse this season and boast a 48% win rate here in league fixtures going back to the beginning of 2020/21.