HomeZ OLD CATEGORIESEverton (NN)Everton v QPR | Match Preview

Everton v QPR | Match Preview

With both of these teams battling for very different things this season, this match certainly has a lot riding on it.

Everton still have European football in their sights and QPR will be hoping that they can defy the odds and survive relegation.

Everton sit 6th in the Barclays Premier League table with 52 points, just four points behind 5th placed Arsenal. Only six points separates 3rd and 6th place and Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton all have a game in hand on 4th placed Tottenham. Everton have won 41.94% of their matches in the league this season, losing just 16.9%.

QPR
QPR

The bottom of the table is just as tight and congested. QPR sit 19th in the Premier League table on 24 points, seven points behind 18th placed Wigan who have played a game less than QPR. Eleven points separate 14th and 19th place and it really is one of the tightest relegation battles we have season in the Premier League in years. QPR have to start picking up all three points from their remaining games if they are to stand a chance of being in the Premier League next year. QPR have lost 50% of their matches this year, winning 12.5% and drawing 37.5%.

The last time these two teams met was back in October at Loftus Road in a 1-1 draw that saw Everton down to 10-men for the last half hour of the game. QPR enjoyed 57% possession and it took both teams to score an own goal a piece to make the score 1-1. QPR created 11 chances in open play, Everton ten, Everton also hit the woodwork twice.

 

Ones to Watch

Everton’s Leighton Baines has played in all 31 games this season for The Toffees and has linked up fantastically with Steven Pienaar along the left side of the field. Baines has provided 5 goals and 5 assists for Everton this season and has 83% passing accuracy for the team in the league. Baines has also created 97 chances for Everton and has a total of 32 shots to his name. His teammate Marouane Fellaini is also one to watch for Everton as he is set to play some part in Saturday’s game following his suspension. Fellaini has scored eleven goals in 24 appearances and is Everton’s top goal scorer.

Loic Remy will be vital for QPR if they are to stay up this season. Goals is what QPR have lacked and since Remy arrived in January he has scored five goals in his seven starts for the club, with a total of 23 shots, nine of which have been on target.

Recent Premier League from

Everton currently sit 7th in the Premier League form table and have picked up 11 points from a possible 18. Everton have scored 9 goals and conceded 7 in their last six games, which included a moral boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City and a 2-2 draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, a game that Everton will feel they could have won.

QPR sit 15th in the Premier League from table and have picked up 7 points from a possible 18. They have scored ten goals but have conceded 11 in their last six games and conceded late last week against Wigan at Loftus Road, a game which saw them play with 10 men after Bobby Zamora was sent off in the first half for a horrific high foot challenge.

Summary

Key Game for Harry Redknapp
Key Game for Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp will be hoping to upset all the odds and keep QPR up this season but no football club has ever survived relegation

at this stage of the season with the amount of points that QPR have. Redknapp has spok about the upcoming game with Everton and says: “It’s massive, we need to win four games and draw one to give ourselves a chance.

“There are not many tougher places to go than Everton.  They’re a good side – a proper football club.”

The game is likely to be a lively one and realistically if QPR lose on Saturday they will have to start looking towards life in the Championship. Everton on the other hand can keep their European dreams alive, as the fight up the top for 4th and 5th place is far from over.

 

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