Norwich City vs QPR Preview
- Tournament: EFL Championship 2024-25
- Date: Sunday, December 29, 2024
- Time: 12:30 pm GMT
- Venue: Carrow Road
Norwich City will host Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in their final EFL Championship clash of the year on Sunday, December 29. Both sides are lying somewhere in the middle of the table and a win could be a big boost for either side.
Norwich are currently 13th in the standings with six wins, eight draws, and eight defeats in 22 games. Having finished sixth last season, they will be disappointed to be this low in the table. However, they can turn it around with around half the season remaining.
QPR, meanwhile, finished 18th last season and have shown some improvement this season so far. They are just one position and one point behind Norwich with five wins, 10 draws and seven defeats.
Both teams sit between the playoff spots and the relegation zone in terms of points and hence, a win could provide a huge boost for the rest of their season. It’s important to note that Norwich will face Millwall while QPR will face Swansea City on Boxing Day before facing each other. Hence, the table positions and team news could change.
Norwich City Team News
Norwich City will be without Gabriel Forsyth, Joshua Sargent, and Liam Gibbs due to their respective injuries.
QPR Team News
QPR are without Karamoko Dembele, Steve Cook, and Zan Celar. While Celar is expected to return next month, Dembele and Cook are out until at least late February.
Predicted Lineups
Norwich City predicted lineup (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn
Defenders: Callum Doyle, Jose Cordoba, Shane Duffy, Jack Stacey
Midfielders: Ben Slimane, Marcelino Nunez, Emiliano Marcondes
Attackers: Borja Sainz, Ante Crnac, Onel Hernandez
QPR predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Paul Nardi
Defenders: Jimmy Dunne, Steve Cook, Liam Morrison, Kenneth Paal
Midfielders: Sam Field, Jonathan Varane, Kieran Morgan
Attackers: Paul Smyth, Rayan Kolli, Koki Saito
Norwich City vs QPR H2H Record
In their previous 20 meetings across competitions, Norwich have won 10 times, QPR have won three times while seven matches have ended in draws.
Last 5 results:
| QPR 3-0 Norwich City | Championship | December 7, 2024 |
| QPR 2-2 Norwich City | Championship | February 10, 2024 |
| Norwich City 1-0 QPR | Championship | November 25, 2023 |
| QPR 0-1 Norwich City | EFL Cup | August 17, 2023 |
| QPR 1-1 Norwich City | Championship | April 20, 2023 |
Key Players to watch in Norwich City vs QPR
Borja Sainz
Borja Sainz has been in sensational form this season for Norwich City. He has scored 16 goals and provided two assists in 24 games across competitions. The Spanish winger is the top scorer in the EFL Championship with 15 goals, five above second-placed Josh Maja.
Sainz joined Norwich from Turkish side Giresunspor in the summer of 2023 and has since contributed 24 goals and four assists in 63 games. However, despite all his prowess, Sainz has failed to score in his last four games for Norwich. He will be eager to change that against QPR on Sunday.
Rayan Kolli
Rayan Kolli came through QPR’s academy and has impressed in his brief time in senior football so far. Despite being only 19, he is the joint top-scorer for the side in the Championship this season with three goals. He’s tied with Jimmy Dunne and Michael Frey at the top.
Kolli has recorded three goals and two assists in just eight games this season and will be keen to continue his run against Norwich. He also scored in their 2-1 win against Preston North End last time out.
Norwich City vs QPR Prediction
Norwich are currently in a poor run of form coming into the match. Ahead of the Boxing Day match, they were without a win in their last four games with three defeats and one draw. They lost 3-0 against QPR, drew 0-0 against Portsmouth, lost 2-1 against Burnley and 2-1 against Sunderland in their last four games.
QPR, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last seven games with four wins and three draws. They beat Oxford United 2-0, drew 1-1 against Bristol City, and then beat Preston North End 2-1.
QPR and Norwich faced off earlier this month in the league and the Rangers came out 3-0 winners. The Canaries will be intent on taking revenge at their home on Sunday but it will certainly be a tough ask against a side in form.
Both sides are arguably equal in terms of strength of the sides but considering their form, QPR could take a draw on Sunday.
Predicted Score: Norwich City 2-2 QPR
Also Read: Juventus vs Fiorentina Lineups, Preview, Prediction and Team News | Serie A, December 29, 2024
Where to watch Norwich City vs QPR Live?
| Country | Where to Watch |
| USA | NBC Sports |
| UK | Sky Sports |
| India | FanCode |
FAQs
Q. When is Norwich City vs QPR?
A. It’s on Sunday (December 29) at 12:30 pm GMT at Carrow Road
Q. Where to watch Norwich City vs QPR for free?
A. Soccerstreams, Footybite, etc.
Q. What is the predicted score for Norwich City vs QPR?
A. The predicted score is Norwich City 2-2 QPR
Q. What is the head-to-head record for Norwich City vs QPR?
A. In their last 20 meetings, Norwich have won 10 times, QPR have won three times while seven matches have ended in a draw.