James O'Rourke returns with an anytime goal-scorer double in the English Championship on Tuesday Evening.
QPR v Norwich
Tuesday, 7.45pm
This Championship encounter holds importance at both ends of the table with relegation-threatened QPR welcome play-off hopefuls Norwich to Loftus Road. The Rs sit perilously close to the drop zone, with only a one-point distance to Reading in the third-from-bottom slot, whilst The Canaries had a night to forget at the Riverside Stadium when Middlesbrough despatched them 5-1.
Gareth Ainsworth’s love for QPR, which stemmed from his successful time with them as a player between 2003 and 2010, meant the managerial job offer was too good to resist, but even now he must be wondering if he should’ve stayed at Wycombe. At this rate, QPR could well be joining his former club in League One next season. His record since taking charge reads one win, one drew and seven defeats. With a trip to top dogs Burnley to come this weekend, they need to make the most of this home fixture.
QPR’s final two clashes of the season sees them take on Stoke and Bristol City, who sit in mid-table with nothing to play for, but every point is vital at this stage. With Blackburn in the final play-off position having a game in hand and a two-point advantage over Norwich, David Wagner’s side really need to be winning this one. The open nature of this match therefore could suit QPR, assuming they don’t concede first and then have to open up themselves. QPR have the joint-worst defensive record in the division though, and have conceded an average of 2.33 goals per game under Ainsworth.
As mentioned, Norwich really need to be winning this one with so few games remaining. Defeat here could see their gap to the top-six extend to five points with only nine points available until the campaign finishes. The 5-1 loss at Middlesbrough was pretty humbling to say the least. They were 4-1 down at half-time, and the defensive shortage at centre back remains a big issue for them and something QPR may look to exploit. With regulars Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson missing, utility man Jacob Sørensen has started the last two at centre back, and the physical battle he may have to encounter with Lyndon Dykes and Chris Martin may present a major issue for the away side, assuming Wagner retains the Dane in this role.
Man-for-man, Norwich should win this game, but it’s never that straightforward in the Championship. I like the look of playing a Championship Anytime Goalscorer Double across the Tuesday card, and the first leg of that duo is Norwich’s Josh Sargent, priced at 7/4 with Bet365. He netted in the Middlesbrough defeat, and may revert to his preferred out-and-out centre forward role, with Teemu Pukki possibly dropping to the bench. The Finnish international is without a goal since January, so I’ve not got maximum faith in him at present. QPR defensively are just so, so leaky and not one to trust, so let’s hope the former Werder Bremen man can add to his 12 league goal tally.
Rotherham v Burnley
Tuesday, 7.45pm
The second clash which takes our focus on Tuesday in the English second-tier once again focuses on something of a top versus bottom clash. Rotherham certainly aren’t bottom, but they do sit just three-points outside the relegation zone in what is a very congested part of the table. Promoted Burnley of course sit top of the table, and head into this knowing they can secure the league title, but part depends on how Sheffield United do at home to Bristol City.
Realistically, Burnley are already the champions and it’ll take a minor miracle for Sheffield United to catch them. Still, boss Vincent Kompany will want them to get the job done in style, and after slightly surprisingly rotating his team in the weekend draw to Reading, he’ll be keen for his Clarets outfit to bounce back with a performance worthy of the best team in the league. A 0-0 when odds-on favourite away to Reading may not look so great on paper, but Kompany was happy with the performance, and they should have won based on chances created. One shot on target out of 16 attempts was unlike them, so some of their regular starters should be recalled here.
As for Rotherham, they suffered defeat at the weekend at home to another top dog in the league in the form of surprise package Luton. The Hatters departed the New York Stadium with a 2-0 victory, and an even tough assignment awaits for Matt Taylor’s team, but they can take heart from their 3-2 defeat away at Burnley in November, a game where they could have taken something out of. That match alone means Kompany won’t take this lightly, and it could have been that he had half an eye on this clash when naming his team for Reading last Saturday.
One slight word of warning is that Burnley have dropped points in three of their previous five Championship away clashes, two of which came against teams battling against the drop. One other worry is a few injuries are starting to build up, and the sight of Nathan Tella being forced off in the first-half at Reading was a worrying sight. He is unlikely to be fit for this one, which is a blow considering he is their 17 goal top scorer. Jay Rodriguez hasn’t featured for some time due to injury either, Josh Brownhill is another out injured, whilst Michael Obafemi wasn’t involved at Reading.
One man who was rested to the bench was Ashley Barnes, who recently said he will leave at the end of his season with his contract expiring. He isn’t the most prolific, but with Tella likely to miss out it means he’ll not to step up from a goalscoring perspective, and he is the centre forward in the best team in the league after all. He represents a bit of value at 2/1 with Bet365, and the second part of our Anytime Goalscorer Double, especially considering Tella, Rodriguez and Obafemi are currently all a shorter price to score in this match, and it could be that none of them are involved.
Anytime Goalscorer Tips
- QPR v Norwich – Josh Sargent Anytime Goalscorer (7/4 Bet365)
- Rotherham v Burnley – Ashley Barnes Anytime Goalscorer (2/1 Bet365)
- £10 double returns £82.50
