Southampton travel to Loftus Road on Wednesday, managerless and out of form. But, the hosts have also suffered in recent weeks. Defeat at home by Ipswich on Saturday made it back-to-back defeats for Julien Stéphan's team.
Unbeaten throughout September, Rangers have managed to get themselves up into mid-table after a very poor start to the season. High-flying Coventry embarrassed them 7-1 at The Coventry Building Society Arena in August before the R's got themselves back on track securing 10 points from the next available 12.
Ipswich made light work of an under-par Rangers side at Loftus Road on Saturday, beating the hosts 4-1. A midweek game under the floodlights against the South Coast side might offer Rangers the chance to lift themselves out of the slump they currently find themselves in. The same could be said about Southampton of course.
The Saints come into the match on the back of a third successive defeat. Losing 2-0 at home to Preston was the final straw as far as Will Still's tenure was concerned.
QPR's most likely goal threat on Wednesday
Rumarn Burrell is the joint top goal-scorer (4) for QPR this season. The 24-year-old is a potent finisher and good with his head.
Richard Kone has also scored four for the 'R's' this season. Kone usually plays as a central attacking midfielder behind the centre forward in a 4-2-3-1. Manager, Stéphan, has experimented with two up front in a 4-4-2 against Millwall and Ipswich Town. On both ocassions Rangers lost.
Burrell looks like QPR's most dangerous goal threat on Wednesday night.
Saints fans: Close your eyes when... Richard Kone gets the ball!
A player who loves to run with the ball, Kone is also a great team player. He likes to do layoffs and play short passes. The Ivorian 22-year-old is a genuine goal threat.
Kone's calm finish in injury time against Charlton Athletic is a great example of his ability to run in behind. If Southampton get caught in transition and push up too far, they could pay the price against the former Wycombe Wanderers talisman.
QPR's killer tactic
Rangers are a team who create most of their chances through individual skill rather than efficient team play. They are not afraid to pull the trigger from distance and they attack mostly down the right. Liam Manning, if he plays left-back, will have his work cut out on Wednesday.
The hosts are likely to play a variation of 4-2-3-1. Against some opposition, they play in a standard 4-4-2 with Kone and Burrell up top. They will play direct, with pace, and on the counter attack.
How Southampton can beat QPR
Southampton's best opportunity could be on the counter-attack. QPR are sluggish on defensive transitions and prone to individual errors.
Attacking free-kicks could be a chance to make QPR pay for their tendancy of giving fouls away in dangerous areas.
Tonda Eckert will manage the side on an interim basis, as the search for a new manager begins in earnest. How he will approach this and Saturday's home match against fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday is anybody's guess.
Three things you should know about QPR
1. QPR finsished runners up in England's top flight in 1975-76. Under manager Dave Sexton, with Stan Bowles(pictured), Gerry Francis, and Terry Venables in the side, QPR finished runners up to Liverpool.
2. The R's were the first club to play on an AstroTurf pitch in the UK. They were the first football club to replace grass with an artificial pitch in 1981, and they were the first club to remove it in 1988.
3. A year after England won the World Cup, QPR became the first Third Division team to lift the League Cup, coming from two goals behind to beat West Brom 3-2 in the final.