Premier League: QPR off the bottom as Charlie Austin winner sinks Leicester 3-2

By Lyall Thomas

Queens Park Rangers are off the bottom of the Premier League after a dramatic 3-2 victory at home to fellow strugglers Leicester.

Harry Redknapp described QPR's 3-2 win over Leicester as a great game

Charlie Austin headed in the winner on 73 minutes - his seventh league goal of the season - after the Foxes failed to clear from an umpteenth Rangers corner.

The hosts had to come from behind in the first half, drawing level from Wes Morgan’s own goal after Esteban Cambiasso fired the Foxes into a fourth-minute lead.

Leroy Fer blasted Rangers into the lead just before the break before Jeffrey Schlupp equalised early in the second half from distance.

Leicester manager Nigel Pearson thinks there were positives to take from the loss

Lively Leicester striker Jamie Vardy could also have scored with a glancing header that rattled the crossbar before Austin's winner.

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But a sixth league defeat in eight games means Nigel Pearson’s side drop to the foot of the table themselves and they will feel hard-done-by after a good performance.

Cambiasso steered in his first league goal for the club from 18 yards and both Vardy and Leonardo Ulloa had chances to find a second before Morgan’s mistake gifted Rangers a way back in.

More from Qpr V Leicester

Poor marking from the away side allowed Fer to power home his first goal for the club from close-range but Leicester were deservedly back in the game on 67 minutes when Schlupp found the bottom corner.

However, yet more indecisive defending caused a melee in the box that saw Nedum Onuoha's shot blocked by keeper Kasper Schmeichel and bounce up for Austin to nod easily into the corner.

Matty James had Leicester's best chance for a late equaliser but he volleyed just over the crossbar in stoppage time.

PLAYER RATINGS

QPR: Green (7) Isla (7) Onuoha (7) Caulker (7) Yun (6) Barton (6) Henry (6) Fer (7) Kranjcar (8) Austin (8) Vargas (7)

Used subs: Traore (6) Hoilett (5) Mutch (6)

Leicester: Schmeichel (7) De Laet (6) Morgan (6) Wasilewski (6) Konchesky (6) James (7) Cambiasso (7) Schlupp (7) Mahrez (6) Ulloa (6) Vardy (7)

Used subs: Albrighton (6) King (6) Nugent (5)

Man of the match: Niko Kranjcar

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