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THE League schedule takes a break this weekend when QPR take on fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup at Loftus Road.
It’s fair to say the FA Cup has been a competition in which Rangers have underperformed in for a good while. Just twice have we gone beyond the third round since 2006 and you have to go all the way back to 1997 for when we last made the fifth round.
The cup may have lost some of its prestige in recent years but there are still plenty of examples of magical moments and is a competition Ian Holloway will take seriously.
Our visitors Blackburn find themselves in the bottom three of the Championship so to some extent a cup tie will be a welcome distraction from the League. However, they will come into the fixture buoyed from their recent performance against high-flying Newcastle who they beat 1-0 thanks to a goal from Charlie Mulgrew.
Blackburn endured a miserable 2016 but have begun this year in much better fashion. The problems Coyle’s side have faced in the League this season is defending – Rovers have let in 40 goals this campaign with only Nottingham Forest and Rotherham conceding more. At the other end they do pose a goal scoring threat with Danny Graham rediscovering his form and netting nine times this term.
The two sides have already met at Loftus Road this season. Back in September the Hoops took the lead through a fantastic Tjaronn Chery free kick but were pegged back ten minutes later when Sam Gallagher looped a header over Alex Smithies and the game ended up finishing 1-1. Of course if the game was to end in the same manner on Saturday there would be a replay taking place later this month.
Following back to back victories Rangers will want to keep the momentum going with another home victory against a Championship rival. The R’s enjoyed a decent run in the EFL Cup this season so already have the taste for cup success. This may not have been the most eye catching of ties when the draw took place but it certainly poses an interesting challenge for Ollie and his side.
PRE MATCH TALK
Ian Holloway: "I want to win, I want to win, I want to win - every game we play. Winning breeds confidence, so we want to continue this mini-run we're now on. This game comes along at a good time for us. I'll look to play a strong team because it's a free shot for us to keep our winning run going."
Owen Coyle: "Moving into Saturday we do have some injury concerns. It will lead to a different line-up in respect that there are one or two that we've got who have little niggles and injuries that need to miss out because we need them fresh for the match against Ipswich."
MATCH ODDS
QPR win: 11/8
Draw: 11/5
Blackburn: 9/5
QPR first goal scorer: Idrissa Sylla 5/1
Blackburn first goal scorer: Danny Graham 5/1
LAST TIME OUT
QPR 1 - 1 Blackburn - Championship, Saturday 10th September 2016
QPR goal-scorers: Tjaronn Chery
Blackburn goal-scorers: Sam Gallagher
HEAD TO HEAD
(In all competitions)
QPR wins: 14
Draws: 12
Blackburn wins: 19
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistant Referees: Adam Crysell and Timothy Wood
Fourth official: Lee Collins
QPR win: 11/8
Draw: 11/5
Blackburn: 9/5
QPR first goal scorer: Idrissa Sylla 5/1
Blackburn first goal scorer: Danny Graham 5/1
LAST TIME OUT
QPR 1 - 1 Blackburn - Championship, Saturday 10th September 2016
QPR goal-scorers: Tjaronn Chery
Blackburn goal-scorers: Sam Gallagher
HEAD TO HEAD
(In all competitions)
QPR wins: 14
Draws: 12
Blackburn wins: 19
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistant Referees: Adam Crysell and Timothy Wood
Fourth official: Lee Collins
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