Follow live coverage as Queens Park Rangers face Preston North End in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Queens Park Rangers FC 2 - 1 Preston North End FC
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:58Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Preston North End 1.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:58Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Preston North End 1.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:54Foul by Duane Holmes (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:54Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Daniel Bennie replaces Paul Smyth.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:54Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Jake Clarke-Salter replaces Kenneth Paal.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:54Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:54Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:51Goal! Queens Park Rangers 2, Preston North End 1. Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ilias Chair with a cross.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:53Attempt saved. Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:52Attempt blocked. Kieran Morgan (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:48Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Liam Morrison.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:48Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:45Delay in match (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:45Second yellow card to Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) for a bad foul.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:45Kieran Morgan (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:43Attempt missed. Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:42Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:42Foul by Kieran Morgan (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:37Substitution, Preston North End. Jeppe Okkels replaces Mads Frökjaer-Jensen.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:35Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Jimmy Dunne is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:35Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:32Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:30Foul by Michael Frey (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:29Attempt missed. Sam Field (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:26Substitution, Preston North End. Emil Riis replaces Milutin Osmajic.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:25Substitution, Preston North End. Will Keane replaces Sam Greenwood.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:30Attempt blocked. Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:25Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Ilias Chair replaces Koki Saito.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:25Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Michael Frey replaces Rayan Kolli.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:22Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:22Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:22Offside, Preston North End. Liam Lindsay is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:21Foul by Sam Field (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:21Foul by Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:21Kenneth Paal (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:20Koki Saito (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:18Substitution, Preston North End. Duane Holmes replaces Jack Whatmough.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:17Foul by Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:15Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Robert Brady.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:14Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:14Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kaine Kesler-Hayden with a through ball.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:13Attempt missed. Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kieran Morgan.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:11Goal! Queens Park Rangers 1, Preston North End 1. Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Paul Smyth.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:10Offside, Preston North End. Kaine Kesler-Hayden is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:08Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:08Foul by Robert Brady (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:06Second Half begins Queens Park Rangers 0, Preston North End 1.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
16:06Substitution, Preston North End. Robert Brady replaces Brad Potts.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:51First Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 0, Preston North End 1.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:50Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:46Foul by Brad Potts (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:45Foul by Liam Lindsay (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:45Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:44Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Liam Morrison.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:40Foul by Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:42Jack Whatmough (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:40Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:40Attempt blocked. Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:40Kenneth Paal (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:40Jordan Storey (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:39Offside, Preston North End. Stefán Thórdarson is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:37Stefán Thórdarson (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:33Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:33Foul by Liam Lindsay (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:32Foul by Kieran Morgan (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:31Foul by Jack Whatmough (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:31Attempt missed. Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kenneth Paal with a cross following a corner.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:31Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Liam Lindsay.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:29Attempt missed. Rayan Kolli (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jimmy Dunne with a cross.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:29Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Freddie Woodman.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:27Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Morgan Fox replaces Steve Cook.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:27Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:24Delay in match because of an injury Steve Cook (Queens Park Rangers).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:22Goal! Queens Park Rangers 0, Preston North End 1. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:16Offside, Preston North End. Brad Potts is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:11Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Rayan Kolli is caught offside.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:09Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:09Foul by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen (Preston North End).
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:09Attempt blocked. Steve Cook (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:07Kenneth Paal (Queens Park Rangers) hits the woodwork with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:05Attempt missed. Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Kenneth Paal with a cross following a corner.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:04Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Stefán Thórdarson.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
15:01First Half begins.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Queens Park Rangers vs Preston North End
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