Pick of the stats: West Ham v QPR
- Published
The Championship returns from a three-week hiatus with a London derby on Friday as West Ham United host QPR (20:00 BST).
A victory for the Hammers would move them to the top of the table before the rest of the weekend's fixtures while a win for QPR would push them into second place.
West Ham and QPR have not met in the league since the 2014-15 Premier League campaign; the Hammers won 2-0 at Upton Park that season, before the sides shared a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road.
QPR lost their most recent game against West Ham, a 2-1 extra-time defeat in the FA Cup third round last season at the London Stadium. The Hoops have not won any of their past six visits across all competitions (D2 L4) since a 4-0 win in the Premier League in August 1993.
West Ham have scored 22 Championship goals in eight games this season, more than any other side. All three teams with this many goals after eight games since 2004-05 have gone on to win the league - Wolves in 2008-09 (23), QPR in 2010-11 (22) and Coventry in 2025-26 (22).
QPR are one of only two teams unbeaten away from home in the Championship this season (W2 D2), along with West Ham. They have only managed a longer away unbeaten run from the start of a season twice this century, eventually winning promotion on both occasions: 2010-11 (first nine) and 2013-14 (first five).
No player has been involved in more Championship goals this season than West Ham's Jarrod Bowen (four goals, three assists), while he also ranks second for both shots (32) and chances created (24).