Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City Preview: Blues look to clinch safety in visit to R's

Birmingham City could secure their status as a Championship club next season if they get a win at Loftus Road on Saturday.

However, it won't be an easy task as QPR have only lost one of their last five home matches.

The reverse fixture ended in a 2-1 win for the Hoops at St Andrews back in December.

Two goals from defender Jack Robinson gave QPR all three points which was at the time their first away win of the season.

QPR want to end the season at home on a high

This will be QPR's final home game of the season and manager Ian Holloway has given plaudits to the Hoops faithful for making, Loftus Road such a tricky ground to come to this season.

Holloway said in his pre-match conference to qpr.co.uk: "It’s been a season of change and transition, but what the supporters have done is make Loftus Road a brilliant place for the young lads to come in and do so well."

This game is also the last at Loftus Road for veteran Jamie Mackie and James Perch as they have agreed to leave W12 at the end of the season.

Mackie has enjoyed two spells with the hoops, his first coming between 2010-2013 before leaving for Nottingham Forest before rejoining the hoops in 2015, following a loan spell with Reading.

Perch has now been with QPR for three years now and is being let go at the end of the contract which was signed in 2015.

Holloway added on the departure of some of the experienced players in his side: "We are letting some experienced professionals go and those decisions are never easy – but I didn’t get this job for it to be easy.

"Those lads leaving us will be sorely missed because I’ve found them to be fantastic professionals who have helped us while we’re making changes and introducing the young lads."

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Blues look to complete another great escape

For the second season in a row, Birmingham look to have pulled off a great escape.

Last year, they had Harry Redknapp to thank for that whilst this year its former Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk.

Birmingham looked down and out under Steve Cotterill, culminating in a woeful defeat at St Andrews to other relegation candidates Barnsley, but Monk has come in and worked wonders and can secure survival on Saturday, even if they don't come away with a win as long as other results go there way.

Monk had this to say on where keeping Birmingham ranks in his managerial achievements He said: "You can ask me that afterwards if that’s the case.

"Right now, I am not even focused on it."

The former Swansea City man added: "I am just focused on preparation and putting these guys in the best place possible to go and make sure they give themselves the best chance of getting the result we want.

"It is going to be a very difficult game for us."

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