Queens Park Rangers

Queen's Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says his side will need to work better as a group after the Loftus Road club shipped four goals at home to Ipswich on Saturday.

Speaking after the 4-1 defeat, Stephan told BBC Radio London: "It is a disappointing result but it was the one we deserved.

"It wasn't too bad for the first 60 minutes, I thought the first half was good and we reacted well to going a goal down.

"But the second goal came too quickly at the beginning of the second half and to concede so early in both halves against a very good team with good players is difficult, and then the third goal killed us mentally.

"I will be honest in the analysis of this game with the players, including what we did well as well as the big mistakes. After that it is just a question of learning.

"There are good examples to show the players as well, but we need to correct the negatives too because you cannot concede four at home. We need to be better collectively going forward.

"This is a good team, and a good group, and that shines through in difficult moments. We have the chance to react [against Southampton] on Wednesday."

QPR will seek to get back on track at home when Ipswich visit on Saturday (15:00 GMT) seeking to break their winless away run.

After a six-match unbeaten streak, in which the R's claimed 14 points, Julien Stephan's side have now lost two of their past three, going down 1-0 at Derby last time out, while they saw their unbeaten start at Loftus Road ended by Millwall the previous week.

Kieran McKenna's men are two points and three places below the ninth-placed Hoops but bounced back from consecutive defeats with a 1-0 home win over West Brom last Saturday.

They have however taken just two points from their opening four away games, while the fifth at Blackburn was abandoned late-on with the Tractor Boys trailing.

• QPR have won six of their past seven home league games against Ipswich Town (L1), though that sole loss came in their last meeting at Loftus Road in August 2023.

• Ipswich Town have won just three of their past 14 league games against QPR (D2 L9), but did win 1-0 away and draw 0-0 at home in the last campaign in which these two sides met (2023-24).

• QPR have won just two of their past 11 home league games (D5 L4), averaging just one goal per game during that time.

• Ipswich are winless across their past eight away league games (D4 L4), since a 2-1 win at Bournemouth in April – the Tractor Boys could lose back-to-back games on the road outside of the top-flight for the first time since December 2021 in League One (vs Sunderland and Charlton).

• Ipswich Town's Jack Clarke has scored four goals as a substitute so far this season in the Championship, at least twice as many as any other player.

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stephan says he does not want his side to feel "pressure" heading into two home games against Ipswich Town (Saturday, 15:00 GMT) and Southampton (Wednesday, 19:45 GMT).

The Hoops have only lost one game at home so far this season, though it did come in their previous match at Loftus Road in the London derby defeat by Millwall.

"I just want to see my players and my team playing with confidence," Stephan told BBC Radio London. "No pressure, just pleasure to play two games at home with our fans.

"We want to restart a good run at home. Against Ipswich, we know it will be difficult.

"They are very dominant - in possession, out of possession. It's a very strong team but each game is a new history. It's our role and our objective to write a good history for this game."

Listen to the full interview with Stephan and more QPR content on BBC Sounds.

Derby County will look to turn their season around as they host Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Rams put an end to five league match winless streak when they beat Norwich City in the week to lift themselves out of catching distance of the bottom three.

Visitors QPR will be a different task though, with the side up the other end of the table and eyeing a place in the top six.

• Derby have lost five of their last seven league games against QPR (W2), losing 4-0 in the most recent meeting in February.

• QPR have only lost one of their last four away league games against Derby (W2 D1) but it came in the most recent visit last season, losing 2-0.

• Derby have won just one of their last nine home league games (D5 L3), though it did come in their last outing at Pride Park vs Norwich City in midweek (1-0).

• QPR have won six of their last nine away league games (D1 L2), as many as in their previous 25 on the road (D8 L11).

• Derby's Patrick Agyemang has been involved in four of their last five league goals (1 goal, 3 assists); since the start of September only Ryan Giles (5) has more Championship assists.

QPR boss Julien Stephan said he was happy with his side's 1-0 win over 10-man Swansea but felt they could have done with a second goal to "kill the game".

"Happy with the game, happy with the clean sheet as well, just a little bit disappointed because we didn't score the second goal. In this case we never know at the end what can happen," Stephan told BBC Radio London.

"I liked the way we managed with the ball in the second half, it was very good in terms of control and how we were able to create danger.

"Just the paradox of the game was that we were able to score 11 against 11 and we didn't score with one more player but I think we deserved the win."

The victory means Rangers have earned 10 points from four away league games since they were hammered 7-1 at Coventry City in August.

"We have to enjoy the moment and to analyse why we do well away. But the basics and the foundation is always our defensive organisation. If we want to travel well and play well away you need to be strong defensively," Stephan said.

Image source, Shuttershock

Kwame Poku has continued his return from injury by scoring for QPR's development side in a 4-1 win at Bournemouth on Monday.

The forward returned to full training last week having picked up a hamstring injury in the first game of the season against Preston and has not featured since.

Poku, 24 , who joined QPR from Peterborough in June, scored after just six minutes of the victory on the south coast.

Meanwhile, midfielder Ilias Chair, who has been out with a hamstring problem since the second game of the campaign at Watford, also started the match.

Defender Jake Clarke-Salter, who has not played since January following hip surgery, is also back in full training and featured in the victory.

QPR are in Championship action away at Swansea on Wednesday, 22 October (19:45 BST)

Queens Park Rangers will look to bounce back from their London derby defeat as they cross the border to visit Swansea City on Wednesday (19:45 BST).

The Hoops conceded their first home loss under boss Julien Stephen when Millwall took a 2-1 victory at Loftus Road on the weekend.

But the side have fared better than any other Championship team on the road in recent times and with Swansea finding themselves in a bit of a tricky spell, the visitors could find themselves keeping in contention with the promotion contenders.

• Swansea City completed a league double over QPR last season; only from August 2012 to December 2014 have they ever won three league meetings in a row over the London club.

• QPR have won three of their last five league visits to Swansea (L2), although lost this exact fixture last season 3-0.

• Swansea are winless in four home league games (D3 L1), last going longer without victory between October and December 2023 (6).

• Since the start of April, no side has earned more away points in the Championship than QPR (16 – P8 W5 D1 L2).

• QPR have won eight of their last 11 away league games against Welsh clubs (D1 L2), including four of their last five (L1). They've kept seven clean sheets during that time.

QPR boss Julien Stephan felt his side paid a heavy price for not taking their chances as they suffered their first loss of the season at Loftus Road.

Defeat ended their six-game unbeaten run and Stephan felt his team learned a painful lesson.

"Football is very simple," Stephan told BBC Radio London. "If you have big chances, you have to take your chances to score and today we had enough chances, especially in the first 20, 25 minutes when we had three, four, five big chances.

"We scored and then we had an opportunity to score at the end with Rumarn, a big chance.

"We have to be efficient and they were more efficient than us. That's why they won. Efficiency makes the difference in football. Now we have to continue to learn, to work and to stay positive."

Image source, Opta

The international break is finally over and QPR and Millwall get back to business with a London derby at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime (12:30 BST).

After a slow start the R's look to have turned the corner under Julien Stephan, sitting sixth in the Championship after taking 14 points from their past six games and looking to make it seven unbeaten for the first time in nearly a year.

They lie one point and two places ahead of Alex Neil's Lions, who are unbeaten in their four away games in the league this year and are seeking to make it their best start on the road in a decade.

• Queens Park Rangers have only won two of their past eight league games against Millwall (D2 L4), though they have only lost one of their previous 13 against them at home (W5 D7).

• Millwall have picked up five points on their past four league visits to Queens Park Rangers (W1 D2 L1), as many as in their previous nine trips (D5 L4).

• After failing to win any of their first three league games this season (D1 L2), QPR are unbeaten in their past six (W4 D2); it's their longest run since December 2024 (7 games).

• Millwall are unbeaten away from home in the Championship this season (W2 D2), last going their first five away games of a season unbeaten in 2015-16 in League One.

• Richard Kone has scored in four of his past seven Championship appearances for QPR – since the date of his first goal, only three players have more Championship goals than his four.

Image source, Getty Images

QPR boss Julien Stephan was happy to see his players head out on international duty because it serves as confirmation of the quality in his squad as they seek to maintain their play-off push.

Rangers are on a six-match unbeaten run, from which they have taken a Championship-best 14 points, as they head into Saturday's London derby at home to Millwall (12:30 BST).

"It's always challenging to restart after an international break," the head coach told BBC Radio London.

"I prefer having some players away with their international teams as it means we have good players."

Forward Koki Saito made his senior debut for Japan against Paraguay while Rumarn Burrell and Isaac Hayden were away with Jamaica and another attacking player, Rayan Kolli, featured for Algeria 'A'.

Winger Paul Smyth played for Northern Ireland against Germany and captain Jimmy Dunne was away with the Republic of Ireland.

"We will have some players coming back on Friday so we have to reconnect them in one day but it's not only Millwall, we have two games away after that," added Stephan.

The Frenchman has also confirmed attacking midfielders Kwame Poku and Ilias Chair are back in full training and could feature over the next week with a trip to Swansea next Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town lead the manager and player of the month awards for September after both sides have remained undefeated and climbed up the Championship table.

Tractor Boys winger Jaden Philogene has been nominated for player of the month after finding the net four times across the side's three completed matches in September, including a hat-trick during their 5-0 drubbing over Sheffield United.

Charlton's James Bree bagged two goals and two assists over their four games to earn his nod.

Addicks boss Nathan Jones and Ipswich's Kieran McKenna both earn manager of the month nominations for their roles in their unbeaten months but face tough competition against Preston North End's Paul Heckingbottom and Queens Park Rangers' Julien Stephen.

Both also enjoyed an undefeated September, with Preston and QPR currently residing in the top six.

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan and Hull City's Ollie McBurnie round out the player nominations.

McBurnie scored in each of the side's four games to produce five goals in September, while Bannan helped earn Wednesday five points with an opening goal in their first league win of the season against Portsmouth and two assists.

Queens Park Rangers forward Paul Smyth says the squad are "on a journey" in their first season under manager Julien Stephan.

Saturday's 2-1 win at Bristol City stretched their unbeaten run to six matches, and took the side that finished 15th last season into the play-off places.

"I think everyone can see from the outside in that it's a positive group, and the mentality is to just keep it going game by game. We're on a journey, and everyone is excited to be on that journey," Smyth told BBC Radio London.

Stephan, the 44-year-old former Rennes and Strasbourg boss, arrived in the summer to replace Marti Cifuentes.

"We've got a lot of good individuals and a collective squad," Smyth added. "As you can see, we're gelling really well, and the manager's got us playing a way that we're all enjoying ourselves."

QPR's unbeaten run began following a 7-1 thrashing away to Championship leaders Coventry City in August, and Smyth is proud of their response.

"In football it happens, it was a freak result, it happens in every league. We learnt a lot from that game to where we are now, six games unbeaten," he added.

"That's not in the back of the boys' minds. The way we're playing we can just keep going, pushing on forward. Its nice to go into the international break with three points, and look forward to Millwall at home."

Smyth was injured scoring in their Championship win against Charlton Athletic at the end of August, and has been a substitute in their past three matches.

"It would be nice to start, but it's the manager's choice to choose the team that goes out there and plays," he said. "We go into every game thinking we can win, because we know we're a good team."

John Acres
Final Score

Image source, PA Media

Bristol City struggled with the aerial ball in their 2-1 defeat to QPR, and the visitors took full advantage.

There were too many hopeful passes played into the QPR penalty area looking for Emil Riis which were easily dealt with, and the hosts looked vulnerable when defending set-pieces and crosses.

Bristol City took the lead and looked comfortable for long spells - until two balls into the box, one resulting in Richard Kone's equaliser, the other in Paul Smyth's late header, ultimately cost them.

It suggests that for City, clean sheets may be harder to come by unless they shore up aerial organisation and are more decisive with second balls.

They also were wasteful in front of goal and missed some excellent opportunities.

QPR took theirs, and were roared on by 3,000 away fans in good voice. They looked dangerous on the break, and will be well clear of a relegation battle if they show the same togetherness and work rate between now and the end of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

QPR boss Julien Stephan hailed his team's 'positive momentum' after they overturned a half-time deficit to win 2-1 at Bristol City and stretch their unbeaten run to six games.

Rangers trailed at the interval to an Emil Riis header, but Harvey Vale set up Richard Kone to smash in the equaliser before substitute Paul Smyth headed the decisive goal six minutes from time.

"It's six games unbeaten – I hope we will continue after the international break," Stephan told BBC London 94.9. "When you win two, three games, the confidence increases and you can create positive momentum."

"I'm very happy for the fans and the players because they deserved this win. They started the game well, the first 20 to 25 minutes we had our chances.

"Mentally after the goal the last 15 minutes [of the first half] were more difficult but there was a big reaction and they did a great second-half with character, intensity and good energy and quality with the ball.

"The starters and also the lads who came on the pitch in the second half did very well. Defensively we are able to reduce the danger from the opponents, the structure of the team is good. It's not only the defenders, it's the whole team."

Image source, Opta

Bristol City will seek to get back on track when they welcome upwardly-mobile QPR to Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Robins have fallen off the pace in the Championship, taking just two points from their past three games after collecting 11 in their opening five matches.

They remain fifth but are only a point ahead of the 10th-placed Rs, who themselves have taken 11 points from the five games since their 7-1 humbling at Coventry in August.

Resurgent Rangers have a fine recent record against City and a win could see the visitors climb into the top-three depending on results elsewhere.

• Bristol City are winless across their past four league games against QPR (D2 L2), scoring just two goals across those matches.

• After failing to win any of their 10 away league games against Bristol City between 2004 and 2019, QPR have since won on four of their past five visits to Ashton Gate (D1).

• Bristol City are winless in their past three Championship games (D1 L2) – if they fail to win here, they will equal their longest winless run of the previous campaign (four games in December 2024).

• QPR have only lost two of their seven away games in the Championship since the start of April (W4 D1), after losing all six away matches they played across February and March.

• Anis Mehmeti has been directly involved in 20 goals in the Championship since the start of last season (16 goals, four assists), more than any other Bristol City player.