Football tips: Tackle our 3 best bets for Derby v QPR on Monday

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

QPR To Win To Nil

Believe it or not, despite heading into this game hugely adrift at the bottom of the Championship table, Derby suddenly have a little confidence after taking four points off Bournemouth and Fulham – the top two in the division – in their last two matches. After being docked a whopping 21 points already this season, Wednesday’s creditable draw at Craven Cottage was enough to drag Wayne Rooney’s side back into the ‘plus points’ column of the table again.

Monday 7.45pm – Derby v QPR
Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Football

However, they are running into one of the Championship’s surprise packages on Monday night in Mark Warburton’s Queens Park Rangers side. The Rs currently sit firmly in play-off contention, in a season that has seen them win nine of their 19 games to date and three of their last four.

Key to that run has been QPR’s ability to keep opponents at arm’s length and in their last eight games in all competitions, Warburton’s men have only conceded four goals. QPR have also won four of their eight matches without conceding, and we fancy them to have another clean sheet on Monday night.

Under 2.5 Goals

It’s easy to see why we’re tipping this, given how good QPR’s recent defensive record is. But, it has had to be that way because, in truth, they don’t score much at the other end. The Rs have only netted two or more goals twice in their previous 10 games, and they really need to start firing in more than that if they are to sustain their promotion ambitions.

On the flip side, the goals may have picked up slight for Rooney’s outfit of late, but Derby are the third lowest scorers in the Championship (at the time of writing). Over 2.5 Goals is a bet that has come up just once in the last 14 league games these two have faced off in, and we don’t see that stat changing here. Stick with the Unders!

Charlie Austin To Score Anytime

Surprisingly for a player of his calibre at this level, Charlie Austin hasn’t really found himself among the goals of yet in this campaign. But, you know it’s only a matter of time before he finds his scoring boots again – especially in a QPR shirt. A recent injury to Scotland international striker Lyndon Dykes has seen Austin’s playing time increase of late, and he’s started his side’s two most recent victories over Luton and Huddersfield respectively.

Austin has found the net twice in the league this season, including one in the win over Luton. He also averages a goal every other game when he plays against Derby (five goals in 10 meetings), and it would be no shock to see the former England squad member start another scoring run with a strike under the lights at Pride Park.