Premier League: Stoke City v QPR match preview

Stoke will host Queens Park Rangers on Saturday in what could prove to be a pivotal clash in the relegation battle come the end of the season.

Stoke's sole victory of the season came way back in September when they defeated Swansea City 2-0 at home and, with six draws also to their name, they have nine points to sit in 15th place on the table.

QPR's position is dire, however, with Rangers yet to win and in 19th place on the table with four points. One of those four points they have registered came against Reading last week when they battled their way to a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road.

Their performance in that match was decent though and they will be confident of going to Britannia Stadium and picking up a result especially considering they won 3-2 there last season.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

QPR 1 (Cisse) Stoke 0, Premier League, May 2012

Stoke 2 (Walters, Shawcross) QPR 3 (Helguson 2, Young), Premier League, November 2011

QPR 3 (Leigertwood 2, Buzsaky) Stoke 0, Championship, March 2008

STATS...

QPR are the first team since Watford in the 2006/07 season to win none of their opening ten games.

The R’s are without a win in 18 top-flight away games, losing 15 of them. Their last away win was at Stoke.

Despite their reputation of being tough, tall and physical, Stoke have actually conceded more goals from headers this season (40 per cent) than anyone else in the Premier League.

CLASSIC MATCH...

These sides met in what is now known as League One just ten years ago. Gavin Peacock's 81st minute strike was enough to earn the Hoops all three points at The Britannia that time.

ODDS...

Stoke to win: 1.90

QPR to win: 4.20

Draw: 3.40

TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.50pm

iBet: Mercedes and Hamilton to roar in Monaco

Monaco is a street circuit where driver ability is more important than anywhere else and if we take ...

by Gareth Purnell

24 May 2013 02:00 AM

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages

Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...

by Martin Ayres

23 May 2013 05:29 PM

iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth

McDowell did brilliantly to land the World Match Play title in Bulgaria last week, but it’s a format...

by Gareth Purnell

23 May 2013 09:13 AM

Most Viewed
Most Shared
Most Commented

Get your summer started with British Military Fitness

BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes

Visit York Nook Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Visit York

Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world

Military Fitness Nook Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Making reading fun for kids

Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.

Military Fitness Visit York Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign

Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Prizes & offers Business videos

Enter the latest Independent competitions

Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Get reading Business videos

Business videos from commercial thought leaders

Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Get reading Prizes & offers

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany

Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Facial hair

Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

Premier League: Stoke City v QPR match preview

Alook ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at the Britannia Stadium

Related articles

Latest in Sport

Caption competition

News in pictures

Sport blogs

SPONSORED FEATURES

Day In a Page

The man who's eaten everywhere

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Eat Spam and carry on

Facial hair

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Sent down at the Old Bailey

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

British football scores an own goal

James Lawton

A
look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at the Britannia Stadium