Venue: Loftus Road
Date: 22/03/2014
Kick-off: 16:00 (BST)
Match
It will be a clash of the relegation battlers when Everton square off against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road this weekend and it goes without saying that the three points on offer during the evening will be of paramount importance for both sides.
Following a dream week with two consecutive victories, Everton were brought back crashing down to earth with 5-2 hammering at the hands of Dynamo Kiev in the midweek Europa League clash – which sealed the Toffees’ inauspicious exit from the competition.
Now, Everton no longer can hide behind the mask of Europe and they need to claim results soon in order to allay the fear of relegation.
Up next for the Toffees is a clash against struggling Queens Park Rangers away from home and although manager Roberto Martinez will be desperate for his side to claim all three points at Loftus Road, it will be anything but straightforward.
Everton Team News
Roberto Martinez made a couple of questionable changes to his side for the clash against Dynamo Kiev last time out and it looks very likely that the Spaniard will revert back to the team which had started against Newcastle United last week.
Tim Howard will keep his place in the starting lineup but there should be a couple of changes in the backline ahead of him. Antolin Alcaraz had a shocker in Kiev and he looks set to be replaced by John Stones in central defence.
The trio of Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman will probably retain their place in the starting lineup but they will most certainly have to perform much better this weekend.
Gareth Barry is still banned while Kevin Mirallas remains a doubt for the clash. In the place of Barry, Darron Gibson should start and Aaron Lennon should return back into the side after he sat out the the match against Kiev due to ineligibility.
James McCarthy and Steven Naismith should complete the midfield lineup while Arouna Kone could be handed a start alongside Romelu Lukaku in attack.
Probable Lineups
QPR (Probable XI): Green; Yun, Caulker, Onuoha, Furlong; Kranjcar, Sandro, Barton, Philips, Taarabt, Austin
Everton (Probable XI): Howard; Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Baines; Lennon, McCarthy, Gibson, Naismith; Kone, Lukaku
Form
QPR: W L L L L
Everton: L L W W L
Last Meeting
15/12/2014 Everton 3 – 1 Queens Park Rangers
04/01/2014 Everton 4 – 0 Queens Park Rangers (FA Cup)
Prediction
Both teams are currently on a terrible run of form heading into the clash but Everton should be placed as slight favourites due to their stronger side.
Nonetheless, it does not mean that the Toffees will find it easy against a team which is looking to fight tooth and nail in order to retain their Premier League status.
Rather than an attractive encounter, the match should be a full blooded English tie which both teams will be looking to claim all three points from.
It is difficult to pick out the winner ahead of the match but Everton have enough about them to condemn the Hoops to their fifth consecutive loss in the Premier League.
Queens Park Rangers 1 – 2 Everton
