Football League World
·23 August 2024
QPR v Plymouth Argyle: Sky Sports pundit issues score prediction
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·23 August 2024
David Prutton has given his prediction for the game between QPR and Plymouth Argyle at Loftus Road on Saturday.
Queens Park Rangers take on Plymouth Argyle in the Championship at Loftus Road on Saturday – and Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted the game will end as a 1-1 draw.
After an excellent second half of last season, QPR are still searching for their first league win of the new campaign, but they picked up an excellent point in the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
It looked as though it would be a comfortable victory for the Blades after they established a two-goal lead inside the first 13 minutes thanks to goals from Gustavo Hamer and Kieffer Moore, but the R's improved significantly in the second half, and they pulled one back when Jimmy Dunne headed home Karamoko Dembele's corner.
The Hoops were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute when Jack Colback was shown a second yellow card for dissent, but despite their numerical disadvantage, they equalised five minutes later through Lyndon Dykes to ensure a share of the spoils.
Plymouth endured a disappointing start to the season as they were beaten 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in their opening game, but they secured their first point under new head coach Wayne Rooney as they drew 1-1 with Hull City at Home Park on Saturday.
It was a much-improved performance from the Pilgrims, and after a dominant first half in which Ibrahim Cissoko, Adam Forshaw and Ryan Hardie were all denied by Ivon Pandur, they eventually went ahead shortly after the break when Cissoko fired home.
However, Lewie Coyle's stunning strike for the Tigers in the 63rd minute levelled the scores, and although Argyle pushed for a winner, they could not find a way past Pandur, who made some excellent saves in the closing stages.
Prutton was encouraged by Plymouth's performance against Hull, and he believes Rooney's men will pick up a point against QPR, predicting a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road.
"Plymouth needed something after that opening day defeat, and the Carabao Cup for them was proving fruitful," Prutton said on the Sky Sports Championship Predictions podcast.
"This one is a nicely matched one because we heard a lot at the back end of last season about Marti Cifuentes and what he'd done with QPR, so I'm intrigued to see where he lands against Rooney's Argyle."
After their comprehensive defeat at Hillsborough on the opening weekend, there were positive signs for Plymouth against Hull, and they must now build on that performance.
While it has been a mixed start to the season for QPR, they produced an outstanding comeback against Sheffield United, and they will be optimistic that they can register their first league win of the campaign on Saturday.
Argyle had one of the worst away records in the division last season, and Rooney will need to improve his side's form on the road, but it will be a tough test against the R's.
If Plymouth can maintain the performance level they showed last weekend, they have a chance of achieving a result at Loftus Road, but QPR come into this one as favourites, and they should have enough to pick up all three points.