Preston North End v QPR: Sky Sports pundit makes 3-goal prediction | OneFootball

Despite only being in the job for a month, Marti Cifuentes has had an impressive start to life as Queens Park Rangers manager - even if he has only just picked up his first win.

The West London outfit were in a real rut under previous boss Gareth Ainsworth, but things have changed under their new Spanish boss - they drew twice and then lost to Norwich in his first three matches in charge, but the style of play was dramatically different, and it all led to Tuesday night's 4-2 win over Stoke City at Loftus Road.

The new attack-minded R's side now make the long trip to Lancashire to take on Preston North End on Friday night - a side who will be eager to get back to winning ways after two crushing defeats.

Leading 1-0 in the fifth minute of added time at home to Cardiff last weekend, the Lilywhites conceded in the 96th and 99th minute to lose 2-1, and then they were soundly defeated by Middlesbrough 4-0 on Tuesday.

PNE however know that a win over the R's will at least temporarily put them back into the top six until Saturday, whilst a victory for QPR would put them three points off climbing out of the bottom three.

North End will be missing one of their ever-presents in the form of Brad Potts, who has played in all 18 league matches up until now.

The right wing-back's booking at Middlesbrough was his fifth of the season, and with that coming before the 19-match cut-off, Potts will now serve a one-match suspension.

In his place, Liverpool loanee Calvin Ramsay will be expected to get his first start for the club having struggled with injuries since his summer arrival, but there will be late calls and fitness tests on Liam Millar and Milutin Osmajic - the former missed the hammering at Boro due to an ankle issue whilst Montenegro international Osmajic came off at half-time with a groin tweak.

Ali McCann could be ready to make his return to action though after nearly two months out, whilst Greg Cunningham has also returned to fitness after a hamstring injury.

QPR meanwhile are waiting on the fitness of Sinclair Armstrong, with the young forward pulling out of the squad against Stoke with a thigh issue in the pre-match warm-up.

Andre Dozzell also missed out against the Potters, but he has trained ahead of the PNE clash and could make his way back into Cifuentes' starting 11.

David Prutton predicts Preston North End v QPR scoreline

QPR's trip up to Lancashire for a cold Friday night encounter is a very long one distance-wise, and Sky Sports' EFL presenter David Prutton thinks that they will be back on the losing end of a result despite their recent improvements, with a 2-1 victory for the hosts tipped.

"Preston haven’t had a good week," Prutton wrote in his Sky Sports predictions column.

"They need to regain some momentum.

"But QPR will be feeling positive after finally chalking up another win. "It was dramatic against Stoke but they found their way through to claim a first victory in 13.