Queens Park Rangers

Queen's Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan believes his side's 6-1 thrashing over Portsmouth on Saturday was not their "best offensive collective performance."

Two goals each from Paul Smyth, Rayan Kolli and Richard Kone contributed to a clinical attacking display from Rangers who have now hit 50 points in the Championship and sit 17th in the table.

The Hoops had only registered nine shots across the match compared to Portsmouth's 20.

"It was not our best offensive collective performance," said Stephan to BBC Radio London after the game.

"I think we have had some better games collectively since the start of the season, but it was really, really clinical today.

"The first three shots, in fact, were three goals, which completely changed the momentum of the game and the balance of power, giving a lot of confidence, even if they managed to score once before half-time.

"But we restarted very well in the second half with the willingness to continue to attack and to score more goals."

Portsmouth will seek an end to a five-match winless streak to keep them outside of the bottom three when they visit Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Pompey have lost four of their past five matches, drawing one, to be left just one point above the relegation line.

But hosts Rangers put an end to a four-match losing streak of their own on Saturday with a comeback win over Leicester City and will be hoping to see out their season in a better position.

• QPR are winless against Portsmouth since their opponents returned to the Championship (D1 L2), with their last league win over them coming in February 2011 under Neil Warnock (2-0).

• Portsmouth won 2-1 in this exact fixture last season (October 2024), ending a run of 12 league trips to face QPR without a victory (D4 L8). They last did so in back-to-back league campaigns in 1922-23 and 1923-24.

• QPR have lost their last three Championship home matches; the last time they lost four consecutive home league games under the same manager was in February-April 2015 under Chris Ramsey (5), when they were in the Premier League.

• Portsmouth are winless in their last five league matches, suffering more defeats in these last five (D1 L4) than in their previous 13 combined (W6 D4 L3).

• Harvey Vale scored and assisted in QPR's 3-1 win at Leicester last time out, registering more goal involvements in that game (2) than in his previous 18 Championship outings (1 goal).

Image source, Getty Images

There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

Image source, Shutterstock

QPR head coach Julien Stephan spoke to BBC Radio London following their 3-1 win at Leicester City.

"We deserved this win because we showed great character, great personality, and very good collective connection," he said.

"Even though we conceded the first goal we stayed very focused on what we needed to do on the pitch. It was very important for me mentally that we stayed focused.

"We needed to manage cleverly at the end of the game and we did that very well."

Leicester City will be aiming to avoid a drop back in the relegation zone when they host Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The side could be back in the bottom three if Oxford win in the lunchtime kick-off but boss Gary Rowett will be keen to back up his first win in charge with another to ensure the side remain safe.

Meanwhile, a four league match losing streak has got QPR dangerously close to joining the relegation scrap, with the side just nine points clear of the bottom three.

• Leicester have lost four of their last eight home league games against QPR (W3 D1), including the Hoops' most recent trip to the King Power in March 2024.

• QPR are looking for a league double over Leicester for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign when they won the Championship title under Neil Warnock.

• Leicester have lost their last five home league games against London teams by an aggregate score of 12-0, last winning in December 2024 in a 3-1 win against West Ham.

• QPR have won just two of their last 21 away league games that have kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday (D7 L12), wins against Wrexham in September and Bristol City in October this season.

• Leicester manager Gary Rowett has won just two of his last 12 league games against QPR (D5 L5) and is winless in three (D1 L2).

Image source, Shutterstock

QPR head coach Julien Stephan described his side's performance against Birmingham as "embarrassing" as they fell to a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday night.

A goal in the sixth minute from Patrick Roberts condemned the Hoops to a fourth consecutive loss, and to 18th in the Championship table.

"The first half was more than disappointing, I think it was an embarrassing," he told BBC Radio London.

"We lost all of the duels from the moment we came onto the pitch, and so when you lose the duels it is very difficult to play football," he said.

"It was better in the second half, maybe because the players we brought on brought more quality and intensity, but maybe it is because Birmingham dropped their intensity in the second half."

Stephan said the club's current points tally could give them confidence despite the poor run of form.

"The worst thing to do is to panic because we have 47 points and we have nine points more than those teams in the relegation zone.

"We know we need to win four or five more points to stay in the league and that is the next objective for us.

"Everybody knows that, but if you want to realise that quickly we need to increase the standards."

Image source, Opta

Birmingham and QPR will seek to stop the rot and get back on track as they meet at St Andrew's on Wednesday night (19:45 GMT).

Blues have lost three straight games for the first time this season to slip to 12th, eight points adrift of the play-offs, having played a game more than sixth-placed Wrexham.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Charlton means they have scored only once and conceded seven goals in that run.

QPR have also lost three in a row by a combined score of 11-0.

Sunday's 4-0 home humbling by Middlesbrough left them 16th, two points behind Blues, while their last away game was a 5-0 defeat at Southampton.

• Birmingham have lost their past two league games against QPR, last losing three in a row against them in April 2018.

• Having won just nine of their first 43 league games against Birmingham (21%), QPR have now won 12 of their past 22 against the Blues (55%).

• Birmingham lost 3-1 in their last home league game, last losing consecutively at St Andrew's in March 2024 (3 in a row).

• QPR have won just one of their past nine away league games (D4 L4), beating Hull City 3-1 last month.

• Birmingham's Jay Stansfield has been involved in 11 goals in his past 14 home league games (7 goals, 4 assists, despite scoring just once in his past nine at St Andrew's.

Image source, Getty Images

QPR head coach Julien Stephan was philosophical after his side suffered a 4-0 home defeat to promotion-chasing Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The Hoops have now lost three straight games by a combined 11-0, despite starting each half brightly for around 15 minutes.

"When you lose against a top, top team, you have to accept [it]," Stephan said. "And they are better than us. This is the reality. They deserve their win.

"They had more quality, individually and collectively. More quality with the ball and without the ball. I have to say that we lost against a better team than us.

"We will not face an opponent like this every time, but we need to be able to show more quality in possession.

"In the last three games we didn't score. In football if you don't score and are only in defensive positions it's very difficult to get a good result.

"Of course we are not happy. It's a difficult moment when you lose three games in a row and you concede many goals.

"But I want to protect my players, because I know them and I know they tried to give their best. We need to stay together."

The R's will seek to get back on track as they head to Birmingham City on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

With this game being played on Sunday (16:30 GMT), Middlesbrough could find themselves outside the Championship's automatic promotion places if Ipswich beat Leicester on Saturday.

QPR's only two wins in their past six league games have come against leaders Coventry and fifth-placed Hull City.

• QPR have lost their past four league games against Middlesbrough but have never lost five in a row against Boro.

• Middlesbrough have won on their past two league visits, having won just three of their first 26 visits beforehand between 1966 and 2022.

• Since Christmas, only Sheffield Wednesday (0), West Brom (1) and Leicester (2) have won fewer Championship matches than QPR (3), who have lost their past two by an aggregate score of 7-0.

• Middlesbrough have won nine away league games this season and are looking to reach double figures in a season for the ninth time – five of the previous eight have come this century (2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2023-24).

• Middlesbrough defender Matt Targett scored twice in the first half of their 3-1 win over Birmingham on Monday, equalling his goals tally in his previous 74 league games combined.

Image source, Shutterstock

Earlier we asked what you make of the news that, from next season, the Championship play-offs will be expanded to include the teams finishing seventh and eighth?

It was announced on Thursday morning that EFL clubs voted in favour of expanding the play-offs from four to six teams.

Here's a selection of your comments...

Josh, Derby: I don't believe this is necessary. I do think that the play-off format should be aligned throughout the top five leagues, but expanding isn't needed. Better distribution of the monies involved and establishing a clear matchday structure to balance various men's and women's leagues would be a better use of everyone's time. This strikes me undue American influence.

Callum, Dartford: I think it's a good thing so teams can push for promotion that thought they wouldn't get near the play-offs.

Cato, Sheffield: If we adopted it to this season, it means that eighth-placed Derby (on 51 points) have about as much a chance of going up as third-placed Millwall (on 63 points). Plus, to accommodate the extra games, would they extend the season into June? I don't like the idea of it at all, and I hope it's short-lived.

Steve, London: Another example of football being ruined, week by week. Don't you dare think about implementing VAR too.

Mark, Stafford: As a Stoke fan, I think it's good news. The season has come to a grinding halt due to being decimated by injuries. Add to that, the quality of what is coming down from the Premier League, it would mean upsets can happen and still allow teams in that mid-table race to dream of greater heights!

Richard, Stansted: Absolutely ridiculous. What is the point of a league format if you are going to make it a bigger lottery to include even more teams at the end of the season? It also brings teams that are even less ready to actually be in the Premier League into scope. But mostly it's the undermining of the league format which makes no sense. I'm a Derby fan - and we look like we would have a chance of benefiting from this if it were in place this season.

Andy, Nuneaton: Anything that expands the opportunities for those outside of the parachute teams is a good thing. We need to get away from this elite view of the Premier League. If it was up to them, they'd stop automatic promotion and relegation and have a system like Rugby Union, where it's based on meeting certain criteria. The eighth-placed club in the Championship getting to the PL? Bring it on!

Ron, Hayling: Money, Money, Money. Players complain about the amount of games they play with the league games and cup competitions so the intention is to play even more at the end of the season. Owners will make some money but that's all that matters!

Barry, Dartford: Yes it's a fantastic for everyone, all the small teams as well as the big boys, to have something to play for. It will give the end of the season something to look forward to.

Benjamin, Poole: I'm a Charlton fan, so it's unlikely we'll come 8th in the Championship any time soon, however, this is ridiculous. More pandering to Americans to make it more likely they'll make money, which is the only thing they care about. Sporting integrity out of the window again. Shame as I felt the Championship was the last bastion of quality and integrity combined. Game has gone.

Broughton, Derby: Absolute ridiculous, put it back to the old days of three straight up, no play-offs. If you don't make top-three you don't deserve to go up.

Julian, London: The worst decision from a footballing point of view ever! The National League teams have been trying to change their system to be like the current EFL system so it seems a very strange decision for the EFL to take. You can finish 8th after 46 games and still get promoted - sporting integrity has been totally lost with this decision. Money over integrity every time!

Image source, PA Media

QPR manager Julien Stephan felt his side never got going in their 2-0 Championship home defeat to Sheffield United.

Stephan was also aggrieved Richard Kone's header was ruled out for offside, which would have made it 2-1 with 17 minutes to play.

He told BBC Radio London: "Tough result, tough performance. I'm disappointed with the performance, to concede the goals too quickly in the first half.

"We didn't start the game like we expected to in terms of aggression or intensity. It was better in the second half, but we didn't succeed in creating strong momentum.

"We scored one goal, I think. It should have been 2-1 at that moment and that would have changed completely the momentum for the end of the game.

"But I don't want to explain only this result with this decision. It had a strong impact, especially if I compare the goal Liverpool scored today and it was exactly the same.

"So there's a big difference in terms of decisions between the Premier League and the Championship. But this is the history of this game and we didn't show enough quality today to hope for a better result, especially in terms of intensity and mental strength."

Image source, Coventry City FC

You might not hear the old terrace refrain of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' as often as you used to, but it still has a better ring than 'the shirt's not fit for you to wear'.

Championship leaders Coventry City launched a new collection on Friday, proudly taking inspiration from a kit widely dubbed the 'Worst of All Time'.

A take on the club's infamous brown change strip worn away from Highfield Road from 1978 to 1981, the modern reinvention features what the club calls "a deeper chocolate plum colour with sky blue elements".

Many would suggest it sounds tastier than it looks.

But it's got us thinking... what are actually the worst EFL kits of all time? Let us know which of your club's shirts is hiding in the back of the wardrobe, or even if they were too ugly for you to even part money for them.

We'll collate a list of the biggest eyesores and will give you the chance to vote on the ghastliest of all next week.

Click here to let us know your suggestion, and you can even attach a picture if you really want to convey the horror.