City hold off resolute Rangers

Manchester City re-established their five point lead at the top of the Premier League table after a thrilling 3-2 victory at QPR.

Toure bags winner in five-goal thriller at Loftus Road

Manchester City re-established their five point lead at the top of the Premier League table after a thrilling 3-2 victory at QPR. The Blues recorded their first win at Loftus Road for 17 years in arguably their toughest game of the season as Rangers showed tremendous fighting spirit throughout. Jay Bothroyd opened the scoring before City fought back through Edin Dzeko and David Silva and, after Heidar Helguson thought he had earned the hosts a point, Yaya Toure won the game late on. In a thunderously hard-fought first-half of football, QPR shocked City by deservedly taking the lead after they were awarded a debatable free-kick,with Joey Barton's superb delivery powered home by Bothroyd. City keeper Joe Hart was called into action as he parried Jamie Mackie's strike from the edge of the box and six minutes before the break Bothroyd glanced his header against the far post from six-yards out. Rangers were soon made the pay the price for not taking their chances as Dzeko cut inside Anton Ferdinand before lashing his shot past Paddy Kenny. Moments later Sergio Aguero struck the post with a blistering strike from the edge of the area. City took the lead seven minutes into the second half when Silva showed quick fleet of foot to control the ball with his left-foot, before slotting past Kenny at his near post. But, the hosts dramatically levelled as Bothroyd's goalbound header flicked off Helguson's back and past Hart with defender Stefan Savic playing the striker onside. However, the lead didn't last very long as City hit back five minutes later as Aleksandar Kolarov's left-foot delivery was headed into the back of the net by the towering Toure. Helguson thought he has restored parity one again late on, but the Icelandic Veteran saw his header strike the woodwork. Even if they only managed half the six goals they scored in their last away game at Old Trafford, they have now racked up 39 in 11 games, dropping only two points in the process and look more like title winners with every performance.

Back foot

With old boys Shaun Wright-Phillips and Barton keen to do well, QPR put their opponents on the back foot. Helguson turned a Barton corner back across goal but just out of Ferdinand's reach. Hart was forced to parry a thunderous Mackie effort away as City struggled to cope without suspended skipper Joleon Lescott. Not once during their flying start to the domestic campaign have City found themselves behind. Just before the half hour, it finally happened. Roberto Mancini could not be happy with the ease of QPR's goal either. Barton sent a decent free-kick into the visitors' box but Bothroyd simply climbed highest in a crowded penalty area and sent a firm header into the bottom corner. City were rocking and Bothroyd came agonisingly close to grabbing a second when Helguson seized on a stray pass and picked the striker out with an excellent cross to the far post. Bothroyd met it well enough, but the one-time England international could only turn away in despair as his header clipped the outside of a post. It seemed the visitors were there for the taking. But, like the champions they hope to become, they rallied quickly enough to haul themselves level before half-time. James Milner started it with a surge downfield from inside his own half. He released the previously subdued Dzeko, who cut inside Luke Young and thrashed a shot into the bottom corner, his 10th Premier League goal of the season. And City weren't finished there, with Aguero's well-struck effort bouncing back off the base of a post to provide QPR with a warning they would not even collect a point easily.

Genius

If they thought a fine Barton shot that brought a sprawling save out of Hart straight after the restart would be a sign of things to come, they were sadly mistaken. Forced off by a back injury during the Champions League win over Villarreal in midweek, Silva had returned to duty but not made much of an impression. That was until Dzeko picked up out with a low cross from the left touchline. The Spain star's next move had a touch of genius about it, even though it was so simple. As the QPR defence waited for a touch to control, or even a dummy, Silva attacked the ball at pace, getting him away from Danny Gabbidon but with enough room in front of Ferdinand to blast home a fine goal. It seemed QPR were doomed. But they rallied magnificently, and after Barton had gone close, Bothroyd met Armand Traore's cross and his goalbound header bounced in off Helguson. Once again, Loftus Road was alive with the electricity of fans who believed a famous win was on the cards. But City had no time for such dreams. Calmly, Kolarov strode down the left flank, then picked out Toure with a superb curling cross that invited a powerful headed finish. Helguson so nearly levelled near the end but it was the Blues celebrating once more at the end as they maintained their winning habit.

Queens Park Rangers	Team Statistics	Manchester City
2	Goals	3
1	1st Half Goals	1
5	Shots on Target	5
8	Shots off Target	10
8	Blocked Shots	3
3	Corners	1
6	Fouls	14
2	Offsides	3
1	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
79.3	Passing Success	76.3
16	Tackles	14
87.5	Tackles Success	78.6
53.2	Possession	46.8
61.8	Territorial Advantage	38.2
435	Total Passes	393
26	Total Crosses	9
159	Lost Balls	156
45	Recoveries	55