Sunderland will be looking to strengthen their lead at the top of the Championship table when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
In sharp contrast, the home side have won just one league fixture all season and sit in 23rd position in the standings.
Match preview
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The season may only be marginally more than a quarter old but Sunderland fans are already dreaming of a dominant promotion campaign.
With a new head coach at the helm in Regis Le Bris, few could have anticipated 28 points being collected from their opening 12 games.
As a result of the inconsistency of their rivals, the Black Cats have suddenly opened up a five-point lead over second-placed Burnley.
There has not necessarily been anything special about the victories. In fact, Sunderland have not scored more than twice in a league fixture since August 31.
However, there has been an efficiency about how they have gone about their business, battling to victories over Hull City, Luton Town and Oxford United since the international break.
Meanwhile, QPR have been a shadow of the side that impressively avoided relegation at the back end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Spirited draws against Coventry City and Burnley have been required to ensure that Marti Cifuentes' side have not dropped to the bottom of the table.
Holding the latter to a goalless draw at Turf Moor last weekend was, by far, their most impressive result of the season to date, making it six points from as many games on their travels.
At Loftus Road, QPR are yet to win a single fixture, with the solitary positive being they have scored in each of their six encounters at their West London home.
Team News
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Given their rear-guard performance at Burnley, Cifuentes is unlikely to make many changes - if any - to his QPR XI.
Lucas Andersen is an option to be used as an attacking midfielder, although that may result in Ilias Chair being moved out wide.
Kenneth Paal and Jack Colback are both expected to remain sidelined for this contest.
Barring any injury issues, Le Bris is likely to select the same Sunderland starting lineup from the Oxford game.
While several players are closing on a return, the likes of Aji Alese and Ian Poveda will stay out of contention.
Forward Wilson Isidor will again lead the line having scored in four of his last six appearances.
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Ashby; Smyth, Varane, Field, Saito; Chair, Celar
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Moore; Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Rigg, Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Isidor, Mundle
We say: Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Sunderland
Despite having failed to win at home all season, QPR always have the potential to prevail at Loftus Road. However, we cannot ignore the crest of a wave that Sunderland are riding, leading us to predict a hard-fought away success.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
