Queens Park Rangers v Coventry City: leaders' promotion drive meets mid-table ambitions | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers host Coventry City in the Championship on Saturday, 31 January 2026 at Loftus Road, with the visitors defending top spot and the hosts aiming to regroup after a home defeat and edge towards the play-off picture.

These sides' last league meeting was a 7-1 win for Coventry City in August 2025. The visitors arrive first with 58 points, while Queens Park Rangers sit 12th on 40.

Queens Park Rangers have taken two points from their last three league games following a 3-2 home loss to Wrexham, after draws at Stoke City and Oxford United. Coventry City beat Leicester City and Millwall before losing 2-1 at Norwich City.

Queens Park Rangers are without a lengthy list including Illias Chair, Koki Saito, Kwame Poku, Ziyad Larkeche, Jonathan Varane, Esquerdinha and top scorer Rumarn Burrell, while Amadou Mbengue is suspended. Coventry City list Jack Rudoni and goalkeeper Oliver Dovin as injured.

Season trends point to a clear threat from Coventry City: 62 goals, 54% possession and 80.77% passing accuracy, plus 12 headed goals and six assists from Milan Van Ewijk, with Ellis Simms, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Haji Wright all on 10 league goals. Queens Park Rangers average 1.4 goals per game with 46% possession and 75.89% passing accuracy, but have not scored from set pieces. They may need efficiency against the leaders' supply from wide areas.

A win would take Coventry City to 61 points and could tighten their grip on first place in the promotion race. Three points for Queens Park Rangers would move them to 43 and could bring them closer to the promotion play-off places.