Queens Park Rangers travel across London to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, looking to get their season off to a strong start following their relegation from the Premier League.
The Addicks have been busy strengthening their squad over the summer and will feel confident of taking points off a QPR side that could still be suffering a hangover from last term.
Charlton Athletic
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Charlton finished 12th in the Championship last season and their supporters will be hoping for an improved showing in Guy Luzon's first full campaign in charge.
The Israeli has brought in seven new players as he looks to mould the side in his image. He took charge following the dismissal of Bob Peeters and halted the club's slide down the table, before guiding them to a respectable mid-table position.
Luzon encouraged his side to play with a greater attacking impetus and he will look to continue this in the coming year. He has turned to Europe in the search for new signings, with Patrick Bauer, Ahmed Kashi and Naby Sarr arriving from Mairitmo, Metz and Sporting Lisbon respectively.
The Charlton boss has turned to up and coming players rather than experienced Championship performers, which could either prove to be a masterstroke or leave them lacking in certain areas of the pitch. They are a danger up top though, with Tony Watt and Igor Vetokele a constant threat.
Pre-season form: LWDLD
Queens Park Rangers
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There has been a high turnover of personnel at Loftus Road over the summer, with 10 players arriving and no fewer than 14 heading out the exit door.
The club's supporters will be hoping that a raft of new faces will stop the rot that set in last season.
QPR have so far resisted the temptation to sell prized assets Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips and it looks like they will start the season with those two in the side, which will provide a boost to head coach Chris Ramsey.
Ramsey was appointed manager in February and charged with trying to keep the West Londoners in the top flight. He won fewer than a third of his games in charge, although Rangers were on the slide by the time he was given the job.
Having been in charge of the club's academy in the past, he will give promising youngsters a chance in the first team and will not be afraid to ship out the high earners if they are not pulling their weight. He has the backing of a large section of the QPR support and could be the man to instigate the side's recovery.
Pre-season form: WLWDD
Team News
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Charlton new boy Simon Makienok is expected to make his debut in attack, with Watt partnering him. Bauer could also make his Addicks bow in the heart of defence, alongside the vastly experienced Alou Diarra.
They will be without goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, who is expected to miss the first month of the season with a shoulder injury, so youngster Nick Pope will start between the sticks.
Vetokele is a doubt as he continues his recovery from an Achilles injury.
QPR will take to the field with a side that will look very different to the one that laboured in the Premier League last season. Key players such as Robert Green and Nedum Onuoha remain at the club, though, alongside star man Austin.
The £15m-rated frontman is expected to play at The Valley and Charlton will have to be at their best to keep him quiet. He scored 17 goals in 31 appearances when Rangers won promotion from the second tier two seasons ago and will be looking to carry on the form that won him a place in the England squad last term.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could make his debut following his move from Bristol City.
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Pope; Solly, Diarra, Bauer, Fox; Gudmundsson, Ba, Jackson, Cousins; Watt, Makienok
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Green; Furlong, Onuoha, Kpekawa, Hill; Phillips, Faurlin, Perch, Luongo; Emmanuel-Thomas; Austin
Head To Head
There has been very little to separate these two sides from their 66 meetings. Charlton have emerged victorious 22 times, QPR have won 23 while there have been 21 draws.
QPR have won four of the last six meetings going back to 2007, although they lost on their last visit to The Valley in February 2014 as a late Johnnie Jackson goal gave the hosts a 1-0 win.
The last time this fixture ended goalless was in 1999, when the sides played out a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road in the old Division One.
We say: Charlton 0-2 QPR
QPR will be looking to banish the memories of last season and get off to a winning start against the Addicks. Charlton will give them a tough test on the opening day, but Ramsey's men are strong at the back and have the individual quality going forward that could win them the game.
Steven Toplis
