QPR v Man City

QPR 0

FT 90 +5
HT 0-0

QPR v Man City

By Marc Higginson BBC Sport

Bottom club Queens Park Rangers held Premier League champions Manchester City to a draw, thanks to a fantastic goalkeeping display from Julio Cesar.

The visitors dominated the first half as Pablo Zabaleta hit the bar and Gareth Barry had a shot tipped wide.

Rangers were a danger on the break, with Adel Taarabt and Loic Remy going close either side of half-time.

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Mancini sad to see Balotelli go

QPR continued to stand firm in the second half, with Cesar denying David Silva from six yards.

But a point was the very least Rangers deserved for a spirited defensive display as they stretched their unbeaten Premier League run in 2013.

Since the turn of the year, Harry Redknapp's side have beaten Chelsea and held both Tottenham and West Ham - and this was another performance of real substance.

City looked like overwhelming Rangers in a dominant first-half performance, but the hosts grew in confidence and stature as the game wore on and continue to offer their supporters hope they can win their battle against relegation.

Analysis

Martin Keown BBC Radio 5 live

"You have to say it was QPR's night. There were so many good performances, and tonight could be the night that Man City feel the Premier League slip from their hands."

There was no Mario Balotelli for Manchester City, as the Italian striker finalises a move to AC Milan, and Roberto Mancini will be concerned that his side could not find a way past the club bottom of the league.

They had their chances, with Joleon Lescott shooting over the bar after a rare mistake from Cesar and Zabaleta rattling the woodwork with a header from 12 yards after good work by Silva.

Javi Garcia, playing at centre-half in place of the injured Vincent Kompany, also fired wide from 30 yards as City poured forward in the early stages.

While City were dominant in midfield, Taarabt and Remy were a constant threat on the break.

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Redknapp hails goalkeeper Cesar

First, Remy capitalised on a quick free-kick to break clear and have a shot deflected wide, before Taarabt countered and forced a fantastic sprawling save from Joe Hart.

Both chances came against the run of play and City looked like taking the lead when Carlos Tevez pulled the ball back for Barry - only for Cesar to tip the England midfielder's 18-yard shot wide.

QPR were content for the visitors to dominate possession, often having all 11 men back behind the ball. The tactic began to bring reward as City struggled to unlock the Rangers defence, which was well marshalled by Ryan Nelsen on his final appearance for the club before leaving to take over as manager of Toronto FC.

Aguero, who famously scored City's late winner when they won the Premier League title with victory over QPR on the final day of last season, was not as clinical and he blazed over from 12 yards.

Edin Dzeko, so often City's saviour from the bench, was brought on and he looked like finally breaking Rangers' resistance when he pulled the ball back for Silva, but the Spanish playmaker saw his six-yard shot spectacularly saved by Cesar.

Both sides had late penalty shouts, with Remy and Scott Sinclair going down in the area, but referee Phil Dowd waved away the appeals.

And while Rangers were left delighted with another gutsy point at the final whistle, City were hoping Manchester United fail to capitalise and stretch their lead at the top of the table to seven points against Southampton on Wednesday.

QPR manager Harry Redknapp: "Of course it is a bonus point, it is a great point.

"They rip teams to pieces home and away, you would take a point off them at any time. It is a fantastic result.

"I wouldn't say it is the end (of the title race) - it is a good result for Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) tonight for sure, but it is still open."

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini: "We lost two points, this is sure. We played well, we had the chances but didn't score - that is all it is.

"We are disappointed with this result because we had a lot of chances to win, we dominated this game but when you play like this and don't score quickly it can be difficult.

"QPR defended very well and got players behind the ball and Julio Cesar was incredible tonight."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Queens Park Rangers

33 Julio Cesar
03 Traore
06 Hill
15 Onuoha
17 Nelsen
20 Fabio
04 Derry
10 Taarabt
14 Granero Booked (Park Ji-sung - 89' )
40 M'bia Booked (Faurlin - 90' )
18 Remy (Zamora - 90' )

Substitutes

01 Green
26 Murphy
21 Ben-Haim
07 Park Ji-sung
32 Faurlin
25 Zamora
37 Bothroyd

Manchester City

01 Hart
05 Zabaleta Booked
06 Lescott
22 Clichy
07 Milner (Sinclair - 86' )
08 Nasri (Dzeko - 58' )
14 Garcia
18 Barry Booked
21 Silva
16 Aguero
32 Tevez (Rodwell - 73' )

Substitutes

30 Pantilimon
13 Kolarov
33 Nastasic
44 Rekik
11 Sinclair
17 Rodwell
10 Dzeko

Ref: Dowd

Att: 17,894

Match Stats

Possession 43 57

Shots

5 15

On target

3 7

Corners

2 10

Fouls

9 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:29 Full time

Full Time The referee blows for the end of the match.

90:00 +2:30

Jack Rodwell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Bobby Zamora. Free kick taken by Soares Julio Cesar.

90:00 +1:04 Substitution

Substitution Stephane Mbia leaves the field to be replaced by Alejandro Faurlin.

90:00 +1:04 Substitution

Substitution Bobby Zamora joins the action as a substitute, replacing Loic Remy.

90:00 +0:31

Corner taken by Fabio Da Silva, Gareth Barry makes a clearance.

89:41

Gael Clichy delivers the ball, clearance by Armand Traore.

88:07 Substitution

Substitution Ji-Sung Park comes on in place of Esteban Granero.

85:46

Loic Remy fouled by Gael Clichy, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Esteban Granero.

85:14 Substitution

Substitution James Milner leaves the field to be replaced by Scott Sinclair.

85:04

James Milner delivers the ball.

84:04

David Silva takes a shot. Ryan Nelsen gets a block in.

83:07

Direct free kick taken by Clint Hill.

83:07 Booking

Booking Pablo Zabaleta is given a yellow card.

83:01

Free kick awarded for a foul by Pablo Zabaleta on Esteban Granero.

82:36

David Silva takes a shot. Save by Soares Julio Cesar.

76:40

Foul by Gareth Barry on Stephane Mbia, free kick awarded. Strike comes in from Esteban Granero from the free kick.

74:18

James Milner has a drilled shot. Save by Soares Julio Cesar.

72:45 Substitution

Substitution Jack Rodwell on for Carlos Tevez.

72:26

Effort from deep inside the area by Sergio Aguero clears the bar.

70:34

David Silva takes the inswinging corner, Edin Dzeko produces a header from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.

68:43

David Silva has an effort at goal from 12 yards. Fantastic save by Soares Julio Cesar.

68:05

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by James Milner from the left by-line to the near post, save by Soares Julio Cesar.

62:30 Booking

Booking Gareth Barry shown a yellow card.

62:12

Effort from the edge of the area by Loic Remy goes wide of the right-hand post.

60:55

Foul by Pablo Zabaleta on Adel Taarabt, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Esteban Granero.

60:20

Sergio Aguero has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide right of the goal.

57:24

Free kick crossed left-footed by Carlos Tevez, clearance made by Loic Remy.

57:24 Substitution

Substitution Samir Nasri goes off and Edin Dzeko comes on.

57:24 Booking

Booking Esteban Granero is booked.