Queens Park Rangers

QPR head coach Julien Stephan admits his side will face a tough task against Championship heavyweights West Ham in Friday's London derby.

The Hammers made a shaky start to the season but are now second in the table and unbeaten in their past six league matches - a run that has included four wins.

"We know that we will have a fantastic challenge but a very tough challenge," Frenchman Stephan told BBC London.

"We play a team that had some top results before the (international) break and have great ability to score and create danger.

"It's tough, but it's as well a lot of motivation."

Image source, Getty Images

Former West Bromwich Albion and Scotland forward Matt Phillips has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 35-year-old made 238 league appearances for the Baggies, scoring 28 goals during an eight-year stay at The Hawthorns which included three seasons in the Premier League.

Phillips started his career with Wycombe Wanderers before joining Blackpool and then QPR in 2013. He cost Albion £5.5m in 2016.

He made his Scotland debut in a 5-1 friendly win over the USA in May 2012, going on to make 16 senior international appearances and scoring one goal during a win over Hungary in 2018.

After leaving the Baggies in August 2024, Phillips spent 18 months with Oxford United before ending last season with Stevenage where he scored two goals in 19 League One games.

"It's been an amazing journey, as my professional playing career comes to an end let's see what's next," he said on social media., external

Robbie Savage will have his first crack at management in the EFL after taking over at Peterborough United, while Michael Duff has replaced Graham Alexander at Bradford City.

Savage and Duff both appear on the latest 72+ EFL podcast with Jobi McAnuff, who is joined by Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith.

The panel also discuss the teams who have impressed and disappointed them in the Championship so far this season.

Spoiler alert... Stoke City, Swansea City, QPR, Burnley, Norwich City and Derby County all get a mention.

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

The Championship returns from a three-week hiatus with a London derby on Friday as West Ham United host QPR (20:00 BST).

A victory for the Hammers would move them to the top of the table before the rest of the weekend's fixtures while a win for QPR would push them into second place.

• West Ham and QPR have not met in the league since the 2014-15 Premier League campaign; the Hammers won 2-0 at Upton Park that season, before the sides shared a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road.

• QPR lost their most recent game against West Ham, a 2-1 extra-time defeat in the FA Cup third round last season at the London Stadium. The Hoops have not won any of their past six visits across all competitions (D2 L4) since a 4-0 win in the Premier League in August 1993.

• West Ham have scored 22 Championship goals in eight games this season, more than any other side. All three teams with this many goals after eight games since 2004-05 have gone on to win the league - Wolves in 2008-09 (23), QPR in 2010-11 (22) and Coventry in 2025-26 (22).

• QPR are one of only two teams unbeaten away from home in the Championship this season (W2 D2), along with West Ham. They have only managed a longer away unbeaten run from the start of a season twice this century, eventually winning promotion on both occasions: 2010-11 (first nine) and 2013-14 (first five).

• No player has been involved in more Championship goals this season than West Ham's Jarrod Bowen (four goals, three assists), while he also ranks second for both shots (32) and chances created (24).

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says his players must show ambition when they make the short trip to play West Ham United on Friday night - otherwise they "have to stay at home".

The two London clubs will be meeting in a league game for the first time since a goalless Premier League draw at Loftus Road in 2015, and for the first time in the second tier since 2004.

Both sides have lost just one of their first eight Championship games this season - with QPR sixth, only two points behind the second-placed Hammers.

Speaking to BBC Radio London before the game, Stephan said: "We play a team who had some top results before the [international] break. [They have a] great ability to score, to create danger.

"For sure, this is one of the best teams in the league, with a lot of strengths. It's a big, big challenge for us.

"[But] I think it's really important mentally to start a game like this with a lot of belief, with a lot of trust.

"If we start the game without ambition, we don't have to start the game, we have to stay at home. I can't accept that.

"We must start the game with the right mindset, with the right behaviours, with the right understanding.

"This is how we want to start the game against West Ham - with a lot of respect for them, but with a lot of respect, as well, for our fans."

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham United will dedicate Friday's Championship game against Queens Park Rangers to former goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko, who died last month at the age of 64.

The hugely popular Miklosko played for both clubs, as well as spending time as a goalkeeping coach with West Ham.

The Czech played 373 times for the Hammers between 1990 and 1998, before joining QPR and making a further 57 league appearances.

His family and selected former team-mates will take part in a pre-match ceremony before the game at the London Stadium.

There will also be fan-led displays in two of the stands, a special video tribute on the big screens and a special commemorative match programme.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Shutterstock

QPR striker Richard Kone was substituted less than 30 minutes into a game for the club's development squad on Monday.

The 23-year-old, who was QPR's leading scorer last season, has made only four first-team appearances this term without a goal.

He picked up an injury against Middlesbrough on 5 September and made a return against Bolton's Under-21s.

However, he limped out of the game after being hurt in a strong challenge, in a match which Bolton's youngsters won 3-1.

The nature of Kone's problem is not yet known.

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan spoke to BBC Radio London as his side came from 2-0 down with 10 men to draw 2-2 against Preston North End.

For the match report and a written selection of his quotes, click here.

We asked for your thoughts after 10-man Queens Park Rangers came back to snatch a late 2-2 draw at home to Preston North End.

Here are some of your comments:

Queens Park Rangers fans

John: A determined team effort in the second half with only 10 men after 15 minutes. Well deserved point. There's a togetherness about this squad that hasn't been there for a number of seasons.

Barry: Thrilled with that. QPR finally look to have a sense of self-belief. They're now playing good possession football from the back, not aimlessly hoofing it up the park. Skill levels in tight situations have improved out of sight and more steel in their game. Think they do need a striker though. Ten men for almost all of the game, great comeback.

Malcolm: Ridiculous decision re the red card, desperately hope QPR appeal. Showed fighting spirit to get a point but horrendous again how many shots we have and how many are on target - 30 shots only 6 on target - that's just nowhere near good enough and it's a consistent weakness.

Peter: Can we get some more shooting practice, and give the opposition something to think about. That and a bit of variety with the free-kicks.

Alan: Much being made of the second half fight and determination, team spirit etc. Shouldn't that be the case at 14.59pm?

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End fans

Chris: Preston capitulated after 60 minutes, obvious majority of players weren't fit enough and QPR's energy levels were superior. PNE couldn't cope with wave after wave of attacks. Two good goals and some woeful defending by Preston. If it wasn't for Daniel Iverson PNE would have lost this game. PNE's stand in manager got his tactical subs wrong. Too little too late. Get working on fitness and appointing a manager who can make a difference at this level.

Roy: Preston's Achilles heel in evidence yet again, even against 10 men. Can never hold on to a lead and specialise in giving up midfield domination to invite far too much pressure from the opposition when leading a game. We've seen this for so many matches.

Fred: It's a point against a side near the top, away from home. Very frustrating at the end though.

Carl: This is starting to look like an expensively assembled train wreck for PNE, players who cannot manage a full 90 minutes without folding. The new manager will have his work cut out for him!

Paul: Change is needed quick and a new manager and whole back room staff. 15 million down the toilet as we are bound for League One. It took us nearly four years to get out last time.

Sam Ashoo
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

After a thunderous strike, it was Paul Smyth who grabbed the headlines following QPR's dramatic draw with Preston, and rightly so. But for me, Koki Saito was just as instrumental in the comeback.

The Japanese winger was brought on at half-time by Julien Stephan and made an immediate impact, consistently finding space on the left-hand side. His direct dribbling and willingness to run at defenders were also a constant source of anxiety for Preston.

Saito and Smyth, along with a fervent Loftus Road crowd, were key to the comeback.

While Stephan will have expected all three points before the game, he can take pride in the resilience his side showed after being two goals and a man down for the majority of the match.

Preston North End take on their first match since sacking boss Paul Heckingbottom on Saturday (15:00 BST) and it's a tough one.

They make the trip to Loftus Road to visit a Queens Park Rangers side two points off league leaders West Ham United after conceding just one loss in six games.

• QPR are unbeaten in six league games against Preston (W4 D2), although both meetings last season were 1-1 draws.

• Preston have lost four of their last seven league visits to Queens Park Rangers (W2 D1), failing to win their last three (D1 L2).

• Only Preston (9) have lost more Championship home games in 2026 than QPR (8). It's more home league defeats than the Hoops suffered in the entirety of 2025 (7).

• Preston have lost six of their seven Championship games this season (W1); never in their history have they lost as many as seven of their first eight matches of a league campaign.

• Preston (-4.2) and QPR (-2.7) are two of the four biggest underperformers when it comes to xG differential between goals scored and xG in the Championship this season, with Cardiff (-5.6) and Lincoln (-2.8) making up the bottom four.

Image source, Shutterstock

Queens Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan says he was impressed with his side in their 1-1 draw at high-flying West Bromwich Albion.

The R's ended the day in fifth place after being pegged back at The Hawthorns as they drew for the third time in their seven league games this season.

"I give a lot of credit to the players to earn a point like this," told BBC Radio London.

"I think it was a tough game. We knew before that we faced today the leaders, a team with very great confidence and I think we managed the situation quite well.

"Tactically, it was good. We locked the main spaces today with intelligence.

"The only regret that I can have is to concede the goal just after we scored. It was too quickly and it was a situation where two times we had the opportunity to win the ball in between and he finished with a good goal.

"We had the best chance in the second half as well with Kwame, the keeper did a great save, but I have to say as well that they had more control than us today. But they had the control more in the midfield positions, so it was not really dangerous for us."

You have to go back to 21 February for the last time West Brom were beaten at home in the league, a 2-1 defeat by last season's eventual champions Coventry City.

QPR will arrive at The Hawthorns on Saturday (12:30 BST) defending an unbeaten start on the road which has produced seven points from a possible nine.

• West Brom have only lost one of their past 14 home league games against QPR (W9 D4), a 4-1 reverse in the Premier League in April 2015.

• QPR have won just one of their past eight league matches against West Brom (D2 L5), a 3-1 home win in last season's Championship.

• West Brom are hoping to win three consecutive league matches for the first time since August 2025, and could do so while keeping a clean sheet each time for the first time since September 2024.

• QPR have failed to score in eight of their 13 away games in the Championship in 2026, the most of any side currently in the division.

• West Brom's Jimmy-Jay Morgan has more goal involvements than any other player in the Championship this season (six), scoring three and assisting three in his six games.

BBC Radio London's Izzy Gilligan and Andy Rowley discuss all things QPR on their latest show.

They reflect on a goalless draw at Charlton Athletic on Wednesday night before turning attentions to Saturday's trip to Championship leaders West Bromwich Albion.

"Given the way people were talking about QPR at the beginning of the season, I think they've done very well at the start of the campaign," BBC commentator Rowley said.

The Rs were without four attacking players at The Valley, with Ilias Chair, Richard Kone, Koki Saito and Kwame Poku missing through injury.

On the prospect of facing the Baggies, Rowley added: "It's looking like quite a tough challenge given the way West Brom have started.

"They're a tough nut to crack and they will have the home support behind them but I don't think QPR are really fearing going anywhere at the moment.

"QPR are unbeaten away at the start of this season, could've had three wins in a row away so I think they'll go there with confidence and there's just that hope they will get a couple of those players back to strengthen those options in attack."

Former Hoops forward Bradley Allen also shares his thoughts with reporter Phil Parry.

Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.