Queens Park Rangers

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The international break is finally over and QPR and Millwall get back to business with a London derby at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime (12:30 BST).

After a slow start the R's look to have turned the corner under Julien Stephan, sitting sixth in the Championship after taking 14 points from their past six games and looking to make it seven unbeaten for the first time in nearly a year.

They lie one point and two places ahead of Alex Neil's Lions, who are unbeaten in their four away games in the league this year and are seeking to make it their best start on the road in a decade.

• Queens Park Rangers have only won two of their past eight league games against Millwall (D2 L4), though they have only lost one of their previous 13 against them at home (W5 D7).

• Millwall have picked up five points on their past four league visits to Queens Park Rangers (W1 D2 L1), as many as in their previous nine trips (D5 L4).

• After failing to win any of their first three league games this season (D1 L2), QPR are unbeaten in their past six (W4 D2); it's their longest run since December 2024 (7 games).

• Millwall are unbeaten away from home in the Championship this season (W2 D2), last going their first five away games of a season unbeaten in 2015-16 in League One.

• Richard Kone has scored in four of his past seven Championship appearances for QPR – since the date of his first goal, only three players have more Championship goals than his four.

Image source, Getty Images

QPR boss Julien Stephan was happy to see his players head out on international duty because it serves as confirmation of the quality in his squad as they seek to maintain their play-off push.

Rangers are on a six-match unbeaten run, from which they have taken a Championship-best 14 points, as they head into Saturday's London derby at home to Millwall (12:30 BST).

"It's always challenging to restart after an international break," the head coach told BBC Radio London.

"I prefer having some players away with their international teams as it means we have good players."

Forward Koki Saito made his senior debut for Japan against Paraguay while Rumarn Burrell and Isaac Hayden were away with Jamaica and another attacking player, Rayan Kolli, featured for Algeria 'A'.

Winger Paul Smyth played for Northern Ireland against Germany and captain Jimmy Dunne was away with the Republic of Ireland.

"We will have some players coming back on Friday so we have to reconnect them in one day but it's not only Millwall, we have two games away after that," added Stephan.

The Frenchman has also confirmed attacking midfielders Kwame Poku and Ilias Chair are back in full training and could feature over the next week with a trip to Swansea next Wednesday.

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Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town lead the manager and player of the month awards for September after both sides have remained undefeated and climbed up the Championship table.

Tractor Boys winger Jaden Philogene has been nominated for player of the month after finding the net four times across the side's three completed matches in September, including a hat-trick during their 5-0 drubbing over Sheffield United.

Charlton's James Bree bagged two goals and two assists over their four games to earn his nod.

Addicks boss Nathan Jones and Ipswich's Kieran McKenna both earn manager of the month nominations for their roles in their unbeaten months but face tough competition against Preston North End's Paul Heckingbottom and Queens Park Rangers' Julien Stephen.

Both also enjoyed an undefeated September, with Preston and QPR currently residing in the top six.

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan and Hull City's Ollie McBurnie round out the player nominations.

McBurnie scored in each of the side's four games to produce five goals in September, while Bannan helped earn Wednesday five points with an opening goal in their first league win of the season against Portsmouth and two assists.

Queens Park Rangers forward Paul Smyth says the squad are "on a journey" in their first season under manager Julien Stephan.

Saturday's 2-1 win at Bristol City stretched their unbeaten run to six matches, and took the side that finished 15th last season into the play-off places.

"I think everyone can see from the outside in that it's a positive group, and the mentality is to just keep it going game by game. We're on a journey, and everyone is excited to be on that journey," Smyth told BBC Radio London.

Stephan, the 44-year-old former Rennes and Strasbourg boss, arrived in the summer to replace Marti Cifuentes.

"We've got a lot of good individuals and a collective squad," Smyth added. "As you can see, we're gelling really well, and the manager's got us playing a way that we're all enjoying ourselves."

QPR's unbeaten run began following a 7-1 thrashing away to Championship leaders Coventry City in August, and Smyth is proud of their response.

"In football it happens, it was a freak result, it happens in every league. We learnt a lot from that game to where we are now, six games unbeaten," he added.

"That's not in the back of the boys' minds. The way we're playing we can just keep going, pushing on forward. Its nice to go into the international break with three points, and look forward to Millwall at home."

Smyth was injured scoring in their Championship win against Charlton Athletic at the end of August, and has been a substitute in their past three matches.

"It would be nice to start, but it's the manager's choice to choose the team that goes out there and plays," he said. "We go into every game thinking we can win, because we know we're a good team."

John Acres
Final Score

Image source, PA Media

Bristol City struggled with the aerial ball in their 2-1 defeat to QPR, and the visitors took full advantage.

There were too many hopeful passes played into the QPR penalty area looking for Emil Riis which were easily dealt with, and the hosts looked vulnerable when defending set-pieces and crosses.

Bristol City took the lead and looked comfortable for long spells - until two balls into the box, one resulting in Richard Kone's equaliser, the other in Paul Smyth's late header, ultimately cost them.

It suggests that for City, clean sheets may be harder to come by unless they shore up aerial organisation and are more decisive with second balls.

They also were wasteful in front of goal and missed some excellent opportunities.

QPR took theirs, and were roared on by 3,000 away fans in good voice. They looked dangerous on the break, and will be well clear of a relegation battle if they show the same togetherness and work rate between now and the end of the season.

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QPR boss Julien Stephan hailed his team's 'positive momentum' after they overturned a half-time deficit to win 2-1 at Bristol City and stretch their unbeaten run to six games.

Rangers trailed at the interval to an Emil Riis header, but Harvey Vale set up Richard Kone to smash in the equaliser before substitute Paul Smyth headed the decisive goal six minutes from time.

"It's six games unbeaten – I hope we will continue after the international break," Stephan told BBC London 94.9. "When you win two, three games, the confidence increases and you can create positive momentum."

"I'm very happy for the fans and the players because they deserved this win. They started the game well, the first 20 to 25 minutes we had our chances.

"Mentally after the goal the last 15 minutes [of the first half] were more difficult but there was a big reaction and they did a great second-half with character, intensity and good energy and quality with the ball.

"The starters and also the lads who came on the pitch in the second half did very well. Defensively we are able to reduce the danger from the opponents, the structure of the team is good. It's not only the defenders, it's the whole team."

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Bristol City will seek to get back on track when they welcome upwardly-mobile QPR to Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Robins have fallen off the pace in the Championship, taking just two points from their past three games after collecting 11 in their opening five matches.

They remain fifth but are only a point ahead of the 10th-placed Rs, who themselves have taken 11 points from the five games since their 7-1 humbling at Coventry in August.

Resurgent Rangers have a fine recent record against City and a win could see the visitors climb into the top-three depending on results elsewhere.

• Bristol City are winless across their past four league games against QPR (D2 L2), scoring just two goals across those matches.

• After failing to win any of their 10 away league games against Bristol City between 2004 and 2019, QPR have since won on four of their past five visits to Ashton Gate (D1).

• Bristol City are winless in their past three Championship games (D1 L2) – if they fail to win here, they will equal their longest winless run of the previous campaign (four games in December 2024).

• QPR have only lost two of their seven away games in the Championship since the start of April (W4 D1), after losing all six away matches they played across February and March.

• Anis Mehmeti has been directly involved in 20 goals in the Championship since the start of last season (16 goals, four assists), more than any other Bristol City player.

Queens Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan remained pragmatic about his side's 0-0 draw with Oxford United amid a five-game unbeaten Championship run.

"It's not perfect but it could be worse," Stephan told BBC Radio London.

"We were completely dominant in the second half, we had some chances to score but we [had] not enough effort in the last third."

QPR, who recorded a second clean sheet of the season, have claimed 11 points from their past five league games, turning their league form around and climbing from 22nd to 10th, one point off the play-off spots.

"Five games ago we were completely bottom of the table, so it can change very quickly," Stephan said.

The R's recorded just one shot on target against Oxford, the second of three matches in seven days, following last weekend's draw at Sheffield Wednesday and this Saturday's trip to Bristol City (15:00 BST).

"When you play three games in one week you have to manage your squad, you have to manage your dressing room," Stephan added after making five changes to his line-up on Wednesday night.

Saturday's hosts the Robins have lost just one game this season and sit fifth in the table.

"If we stay very strong defensively, as we did the last three games in fact, I think we will win some other points," Stephan added.

Listen to the full interview with Stephan and more on QPR on Sounds.

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Julien Stephan's Queens Park Rangers side are unbeaten in the league since that heavy 7-1 defeat to Coventry City back in August. They host Gary Rowett's Oxford United team on Wednesday (19:45 BST), who have only recorded one victory so far.

The home side come into this one sitting 9th in the Championship league, with the travelling U's in 22nd, only the two Sheffield sides sit below them.

• Queens Park Rangers have won each of their past three league meetings with Oxford United, never before winning four in a row.

• Oxford United are winless in their past 10 league visits to QPR (D3 L7) since a 2-1 victory in December 1969.

• QPR have won both of their past two Championship home games and could avoid defeat in their first four home matches of a league campaign for the first time since 2017-18 (5).

• After their 3-1 win at Bristol City, Oxford United could win back-to-back away league games for the first time since April 2024, and the first time in the top two tiers since November 1998.

• Oxford's Gary Rowett has only won one of his eight managerial away league games at QPR (D3 L4), a 2-1 victory with Millwall in February 2023.

Julien Stephan was pleased with QPR's improved second-half display against Sheffield Wednesday.

Rangers had won their previous three matches and the 1-1 draw at Hillsborough extended their unbeaten run to four.

Nicolas Madsen equalised from the penalty spot after Dominic Iorfa had put the hosts ahead.

R's head coach Stephan told BBC London: "We were completely different in the second half. It was too poor for us in the first half.

"We had a good chance after two or three minutes but after that we didn't create anything and it wasn't good enough in terms of intensity and we were not powerful enough.

"We decided to change some things and to fix some problems at half-time and we had more quality and intensity. We scored very quickly and had some good chances.

"I enjoyed the fact that in the second half we were able to fight in the last 15 minutes. Is it a good point? I don't know. If we win against Oxford it is a good point. But credit to the opponents; they played well."

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After securing their first win of the season last weekend at Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday be targeting another three points against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Queens Park Rangers are 14 places above Wednesday in ninth and are seeking a fourth win on the bounce having beaten Stoke City, Wrexham and Charlton Athletic in recent weeks.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last six home league games against QPR (D3 L2), beating them 2-1 in December 2023.

• After winning four consecutive league games against Sheffield Wednesday in 2018 and 2019, QPR have now won just one of their last seven against the Owls (D2 L4).

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost eight of their last 10 home league games (W1 D1), including all three without scoring this season. Only in the 1999-00 Premier League campaign have the Owls ever lost each of their first four at Hillsborough to start a league season.

• Having failed to win any of their first three league games this season, QPR have now won each of their last three by an aggregate score of 7-2.

• QPR's Championship games have seen 22 goals so far this season (10 for, 12 against), with only Wrexham's matches producing more (23).

Image source, BBC Sport

QPR's three-match winning streak is just the beginning of something, according to head coach Julien Stephan.

The Londoners managed just one point from their opening three Championship games under their new French boss but have now beaten Charlton, Wrexham and Stoke and will look to make it four wins in a row at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 BST).

"After three wins in a row it is a balance between ambition and humility because if we don't stay humble we will probably have some bad moments," Stephan told BBC Radio London.

"It's only three wins, it's nothing in the season, just the beginning of something so we need to continue like this."

Stephan replaced Marti Cifuentes at Loftus Road in June, having managed Strasbourg and Rennes in France, and says nothing has really changed in the way they work despite the upturn in form.

"Confidence is very high but even at the beginning of the season when we didn't have good results the mentality in training was the same," he added.

"The behaviour of the players is the same - full commitment, great attitude and we just have to continue."

Queens Park Rangers striker Rumarn Burrell says that while the move to the Championship has been a "big step up", he's feeling "comfortable" in his new surroundings.

The Jamaica international joined the Rs from League One side Burton Albion in July for his first taste of life in the English Football League's second-tier, having previously competed in the Scottish Championship with Falkirk.

Burrell has featured in all six of QPR's league fixtures, starting four games, and has found the target once and added one assist while impressing with his explosive pace and the added threat he has brought in the final third.

That was most notably witnessed in the 3-1 win at Wrexham when the 24-year-old opened his account by chasing a long ball forward and sprinting past a defender who had a sizeable head start on him before finishing well.

"Championship level is not easy and it's been a really big step up for me," Burrell told BBC Radio London.

"It's faster paced, there's that little touch of quality everywhere and on the attack as well there's a lot of really good attacking players who have got a lot of skills that are hard to defend.

"It is a step up but it hasn't felt like anything I couldn't do and it hasn't felt like I'm out my depth. I've felt comfortable, I've adjusted to the level and the standard."

Listen to the full interview with Burrell and more QPR content on BBC Sounds.

A potential move to take the Championship play-offs down to eighth place would damage the competition's credibility, according to former Huddersfield, Stoke and Middlesbrough defender Tommy Smith.

The EFL board is set to discuss proposals to increase the number of teams in the end-of-season play-offs from four to six but Smith, who was promoted to the Premier League with Huddersfield via the play-offs in 2017 is not a fan of the idea.

"It's not for me - I think it suits teams who don't really have a chance to get in the top six," he told the BBC's EFL podcast 72+.

"From a credibility point of view the top six is there to be aimed at and you have to earn your place in it."

The play-offs were first introduced for the 1986-87 season where sides finishing third down to fifth were involved along with the team third-from-bottom in the top flight.

After two seasons the format was changed to be played out between teams finishing third to sixth in the second tier.

"To finish eighth in the Championship and potentially get promoted to the Premier League it just doesn't sit right with me," added Smith.

"Notoriously over the past years getting into the top six is tough and when you get in there after a long hard season it feels brilliant, so to make it a top eight it dilutes it."