Monday throws up an intriguing battle in the Championship as Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Warnock welcomes his former club Sheffield United to Loftus Road (QPR 4/9, draw 16/5, Sheffield Utd 13/2).
Warnock enjoyed the most successful spell of his managerial career with the Blades as he led the South Yorkshire club back to the Premier League. The Sheffield-born manager spent eight years at Bramall Lane, where he managed to reach an FA Cup and Carling Cup semi-final.
He resigned from his position at the club following relegation from the Premier League in 2007 and, after a three-year-spell at Crystal Palace, the 62-year-old is now enjoying life at QPR.
The Hoops currently sit six points clear at the top of the Championship table with a game in hand over second place Norwich City, who recorded an impressive 6-0 victory over Scunthorpe United on Saturday.
QPR (1/10 to win the Championship) have not lost at home since December 10 when they were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Watford. That was QPR’s one and only defeat of the campaign so far, as they have made Loftus Road a very difficult place to pick up points for visiting teams.
Sheffield United are next to try their hand and they will be desperate to pick up all three points.
Local rivals Barnsley did not do their neighbours any favours on Saturday as they were beaten by Championship strugglers Crystal Palace.
That leaves the United seven points off safety, with a game in hand, and their away form this season has been very poor. Only three wins on the road in the current campaign have not helped their cause and Monday’s trip to Loftus Road will not be an easy one.
Despite all the doom and gloom the Blades are on a three-game winning streak, as they look to avoid playing their arch rivals Sheffield Wednesday in League One next season. Impressive victories of Nottingham Forest, Watford and Yorkshire rivals Leeds United (7/2 to win promotion this season) have given Blades fans something to cheer about.
Manager Micky Adams has come under plenty of criticism during his time at Bramall Lane after they went 15 games without a win. However with some decent results in recent weeks, United will believe they can get something from this game against QPR and close down the gap on Crystal Palace.
When these two side met earlier in the season the Hoops breezed to a 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
Things are getting edgy at both the top and bottom of the table and a repeat result is unlikely. However QPR may just have that extra bit of quality to pick up all three points on a day that will conjure up mixed feeling for Warnock.
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