How QPR fare against play-off rivals Millwall in predicted Championship table after Sheffield United defeat

QPR suffered another blow in their fading hopes of a play-off spot in the Championship this season following a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.

The R’s looked good against the Blades, who are chasing automatic promotion, but lacked a cutting edge needed to keep any points at Loftus Road. Chris Wilder’s side opened up a five point gap between themselves and Burnley in third place, boosting their chances of getting back into the Premier League without the play-off drama.

After a dismal start to the season, with one win from their first 16, QPR went on a head-turning run of form over the festive period and the New Year and had been tipped as potential outside contenders for the top six. However, the defeat against Sheffield United follows losses to Portsmouth, Coventry City and Millwall in recent weeks.

QPR boss positive after Sheffield United defeat

Speaking after the game, Cifuentes said: “I think that we created enough chances to score more, but that’s the reality of football, it’s not quantity it’s quality. They got a really good second goal especially.

“Perhaps both goals we could have done better and that’s what decided the game but I think the team performed at high levels in many areas of the game today and it’s a pity we couldn’t get more from it against a quality side that had two or three moments in the game and were able to win.”

QPR are now 14th in the second tier, eight points off West Brom in sixth. There’s still a long way to go this season but, in such a tightly packed table, that gap looks increasingly daunting to close.

Millwall, who have a game in hand on most of the league, could be more likely contenders. The Lions sit 12th and are one point ahead of QPR.

When asked about his ambitions at the end of December when appointed at The Den, Alex Neil said: “I’m not managing expectations at all because the last thing I want to do is put a limit on aspiration.

“If we end up doing really well and we’re within touching distance of the play-offs with ten games to go, I’ll be sitting here saying right now I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t make the play-offs. But if with ten games to go, we’re six points away from the bottom end of the table, I’ll be saying we need to win some of these games to make sure that we’re in a good position in the league. So I don’t know what that’s gonna look like.”

Predicted Championship table

After the latest round of action and ahead of midweek fixtures, when Millwall face Bristol City, LondonWorld looks at the latest Opta predicted table to see who the stats experts believe will fight for promotion via the play-offs.

1. Leeds United, 99 points
2. Sheffield United, 93 points
3. Burnley, 91 points
4. Sunderland, 83 points
5. Coventry City, 70 points
6. West Brom, 69 points
7. Blackburn Rovers, 67 points
8. Middlesbrough, 66 points
9. Bristol City, 65 points
10. Watford, 64 points
11. Norwich City, 64 points
12. Millwall, 60 points
13. Sheffield Wednesday, 60 points
14. Preston North End, 59 points
15. QPR, 57 points
16. Swansea City, 54 points
17. Portsmouth, 53 points
18. Cardiff City, 49 points
19. Oxford United, 49 points
20. Hull City, 49 points
21. Stoke City, 49 points
22. Plymouth Argyle, 43 points
23. Luton Town, 42 points
24. Derby County, 41 points

In other news, this is how the QPR players rated in that 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United.