Burnley to open up three point Championship lead
Away from all the drama of the 2022 World Cup, there are still many domestic leagues that are in progress, including the EFL Championship. On Sunday lunchtime at Loftus Road, Burnley travel to the capital to take on Queens Park Rangers. The Clarets are only still top of the table by virtue of goals scored over Sheffield United, but can use this 'game in hand' to restore their three-point advantage. Read our preview here:
Pay Paal
The Super Hoops are currently looking for a new head coach after Michael Beale was lured away by Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers after an impressive beginning to his managerial career. Interim boss Paul Hall has two first team members missing - Tyler Roberts is still out with a calf injury, whilst Ilias Chair remains with the Morocco squad in Qatar following the African nation's surge to the semi-finals. How much Hall will change remains to be seen, but the likelihood is he'll maintain a 4-3-3, built on a strong defence. Kenneth Paal is particularly strong on the left, and recently opted for Suriname. He'll be tasked with thwarting the attacks down his flank and providing width in the final third when able to. Chris Willock is a versatile forward who'll be looking to add to his impressive tally of six goals for the campaign.
Brownhill sites
Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany has up to five unavailable. Anass Zaroury is also still with Morocco, whilst the likes of Scott Twine, Ashley Westwood, and Jay Rodriguez are out of contention. Even so, he's still able to name a strong XI, particularly through the spine of the team. Josh Brownhill is not one of the newer names for the Clarets, but has found his feet in the second tier, grabbing five goals and five assists in 20 matches thus far. He will dovetail with sole striker Ashley Barnes and operate in between the lines, attempting to pull the hosts' defence out of position and into a higher line.
Betting tip
bet365 have odds of 2.25 for the visitors to get the win they need to shore up their position at the summit.
