English Premier
2012-03-21 - QPR vs Liverpool
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Wednesday 21 March 2012 - Kick Off 8pm
QPR
Mark Hughes was brought into Loftus Road with the sole requirement to keep QPR in the Premier League, but a poor run of form coupled with an awful final ten games to get through has left them as one of the favourites for relegation. This is one of the tough fixtures they have left as they are still to play six of the top seven teams in the League, but it is one where they have to find a way to earn something from.
Rangers are 18th in the Premier League having earned 22 points so far- that leaves them 1 point from Bolton Wanderers in the safety zone, although Blackburn Rovers moved 6 points clear with a win on Tuesday night. The team have struggled at home this season where they are 2-5-7 this season, scoring just 14 goals and conceding 22, making them the joint second lowest team at home so far.
A poor run of form, coupled with some bad luck, has seen QPR pick up just 2 points from their last 18 available. It has been more disappointing for the fans that that run has seen them lose to Wolves, Blackburn and Bolton, all teams scrapping for survival along with Rangers. QPR have failed to win any of their last 4 home games in all competitions, while they have earned just 5 points from their last 27 available at Loftus Road.
Adel Taarabt is available for selection after missing the loss at Bolton, but DJ Campbell and Heidar Helguson are both still absent.
Liverpool
Kenny Dalglish has led Liverpool to Wembley for the second time this season after they made their way into the FA Cup Semi Final following a Carling Cup win last month. However, the fans will still be demanding more from the side over the last couple of months of the season as they still have some hope that a Champions League can be earned.
Liverpool are 7th in the Premier League and have to bridge a ten point gap to Arsenal in the final Champions League place, although they may feel this is an opportunity to do so with the Gunners facing a tough trip to Everton. They have a 6-1-7 away record this season, winning more games than they have at Anfield, while scoring 15 goals and conceding 16.
A 1-2 home loss to Arsenal in a game they dominated kind of summed up Liverpool's season, particularly at Anfield, and they had lost 3 consecutive Premier League games before beating Everton 3-0 last week. The Reds have won just 1 of their last 6 away games in the Premier League, and they have lost 4 of their last 5.
Glen Johnson looks set to miss another game, while Craig Bellamy will need to pass a late fitness test.
Head to Head
Liverpool beat QPR 1-0 earlier this season in one of their few wins at Anfield.
They last met one another at Loftus Road in the 1995/96 season when Liverpool won 1-2.
Prediction
If QPR really have ambitions in staying in the Premier League this season, they need to start winning games soon and this may look like an opportunity to do so against a Liverpool team that has struggled away from home in the Premier League in recent games.
QPR have a front two that should produce goals in Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora, but they seem to have had a lot of bad luck affecting them recently, while they struggle defensively to keep clean sheets.
I can't recommend Liverpool at odds on considering their away form in the Premier League, although they are a different prospect with Steven Gerrard running things in the middle of the park, something we saw in their win over Everton last week.
With neither side really inspiring much confidence in their ability to secure the three points, particularly at the prices available, I did consider picking QPR not to lose this game and give their survival chances a little boost.
However, Liverpool are a tougher team to beat with Gerrard in the side and I think backing goals in this game is probably a safer option than either side.
Liverpool have not been as good defensively away from home in recent weeks, but they have shown they can get goals as proven from the fact that they scored at Bolton and Manchester United in losing efforts and also scored 3 at Wolves.
QPR have been struggling defensively and are always liable to conceding goals, while they do have some attacking options that will cause problems for the Liverpool team too.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
QPR 2-2 Liverpool
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Over 2.75 Goals @ 2.25 (188Bet)
