Preston vs QPR Prediction: Lilywhites to get back on track at Deepdale

After an excruciating eight months under Gareth Ainsworth, QPR fans are starting to see signs of life with Marti Cifuentes at the helm. The Spaniard has taken five points from his first four games in charge, but a Friday night (20:00) clash with Preston North End arguably represents his toughest test so far.

Preston may be coming into this one off the back of two defeats - the latest a heavy 4-0 loss at Middlesbrough - but the Lilywhites have generally been strong at Deepdale, collecting 17 points from nine games there this season.

QPR have lost four of their last five away from home, and have won just twice away from Loftus Road.

Team News

Canadian winger Liam Millar will return to the Preston squad on Friday after missing the midweek game through injury, while Greg Cunningham and Ali McCann are also back in contention. On-loan Liverpool full-back Calvin Ramsay is primed to make his full debut for the club after playing his first minutes against Boro, with Brad Potts suspended.

There are doubts over Milutin Osmajic, though, after he went off with a groin issue on Tuesday.

QPR could make a few changes themselves due to the short turnaround in fixtures, with Chris Willock and Reggie Cannon the likeliest options to come into the side.

Match Odds

Preston are 21/20 to return to winning ways at home after last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City there, while the visitors are priced at 12/5 to make it back-to-back wins under Cifuentes. The draw is available at 21/10.

Both teams have scored in three of Preston's last four games and it's 5/6 for BTTS - Yes on Friday.

Preston to win @ 21/20

The Lilywhites were handed a heavy defeat on Teesside earlier this week, capping a hugely disappointing few days after a home defeat to Cardiff on the Saturday. However, Ryan Lowe's side had won their two previous games before the international break, and after playing a couple of top-half teams, they now face a side who sit 22nd in the Championship.

The gap between the sides is currently 15 points after 18 games, which shows the gap in quality between them. QPR look a different proposition already under Cifuentes but their squad is still hugely inferior to Preston's, while their midweek win against Stoke is less impressive when you consider the Potters had ten men for nearly half the game and, in fact, were leading until the 79th minute.

Preston have won five of their nine home games this season, and of the five clubs they have played there who are currently in the bottom half, only Millwall (1-1) have taken points off them. They tend to do the business against the lower-ranked teams, and I expect that to be the case again on Friday.

#PickYourPunt - QPR over 3.5 corners and Jack Colback to be carded @ 13/5

In four games under Cifuentes, QPR have won a mammoth 31 corners (13 vs Stoke, 11 vs Norwich, five vs Bristol City, and six vs Rotherham). That works out as over seven corners per game.

Preston have conceded 35 across the same period, which is over eight per game. QPR look a much more competent outfit under Cifuentes, so even if they go behind - which I believe they will - they are unlikely to surrender, and they should be buoyed by the home side's recent defensive issues.

The second choice on this #PickYourPunt is for veteran midfielder Colback to be carded. The 34-year-old actually missed Cifuentes' first game in charge against Rotherham because he was serving a suspension for too many yellows cards - he had picked up three in as many games.

Colback has since started the last three and has received a booking in his last two, making it five yellow cards in his last six games. That's now seven in 12 for the season, and he also has a red card to his name against Sunderland.

Colback has always been known as a fiery player, and he's certainly kept up that reputation at QPR. With the Hoops likely to be scrapping for everything they can at Deepdale, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Colback doing what he does best - getting amongst it.

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