Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Manchester City

Sergio Aguero twice brought City level at Loftus Road

• Aguero hits two as QPR twice lose lead
• Austin has controversial goal ruled out
• City trail leaders Chelsea by eight points
• QPR move off bottom of table

Champions Manchester City fell eight points behind league leaders Chelsea after drawing at Queens Park Rangers.

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QPR 2-2 Man City: Harry Redknapp praises 'excellent' Rangers

Rangers' Charlie Austin had an early effort ruled out as City keeper Joe Hart's two-touch free-kick in the build-up did not leave the penalty box.

Moments later, Austin beat Hart with a low effort but Sergio Aguero finished smartly to level before the break.

Austin's cross forced Martin Demichelis into an own goal, but Aguero responded by rounding Rob Green to level.

The Argentine now has 12 goals in as many Premier League matches but his brilliance will only serve as mild consolation for City fans who have seen their side lose again in Europe and draw with struggling QPR less than a week after success in the Manchester derby.

Defeat to CSKA Moscow on Wednesday prompted widespread criticism of the Premier League champions and they now trail league leaders Chelsea - winners earlier in the day at Liverpool - by eight points, remaining third.

A crumb of comfort may exist in the fact City had two points fewer at the same stage last season, but the crisis in confidence raised by boss Manuel Pellegrini in midweek seemed prevalent at Loftus Road.

Only Les Ferdinand with 13 in 1995 has scored more goals in the opening 11 matchdays of a Premier League season than Sergio Aguero who has 12

Without injured captain Vincent Kompany, City were pressured early on by Harry Redknapp's side, who move off the bottom, leapfrogging Burnley who beat Hull earlier.

Austin, who now has four goals in his last three Premier League games, was at the centre of their good work and he headed past Hart but saw his effort ruled out for offside.

When the City keeper played the resulting free-kick straight to the R's talisman, he smashed into the net but referee Mike Dean again cut celebrations short after spotting Hart had touched the ball twice, with his first touch, vitally, not leaving the area.

Fifa's Laws of the Game document for 2014-15 outlines why Charlie Austin's strike was ruled out

Austin persisted and buried Eduardo Vargas's pass to open the scoring, but Aguero was unshaken by the game's frenetic nature.

He collected Eliaquim Mangala's long ball brilliantly to find space and clip a leveller through the body of Rob Green.

QPR have just two wins this season but showed more enthusiasm in the second period as Leroy Fer struck wide before Austin's cross was powered in by Demichelis under pressure from Bobby Zamora.

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QPR 2-2 Man City: We don't think about Chelsea - Pellegrini

A City response arrived as Aguero's shot was cleared off the line by Richard Dunne and Stephen Caulker did the same to deny James Milner before QPR's resilience was broken by the exceptional Aguero.

The league's top scorer collected another long pass - this time from Yaya Toure - to evade the QPR keeper again, wrong-foot back-tracking home defenders and add a measured finish.

City pressed and found a brave Joey Barton block in the way of a goal-bound Toure shot, but QPR held on to deliver a further blow to their title hopes.

Queens Park Rangers were confused by Mike Dean's decision to rule out Charlie Austin's strike

Charlie Austin had two goals ruled out before eventually scoring the opener

England manager Roy Hodgson was among those watching a pulsating game at Loftus Road

Sergio Aguero pounced late on to score his second and he now has 12 league goals for the season

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

QPR

• 1Green
• 14IslaBooked at 37mins
• 22DunneBooked at 40mins
• 4Caulker
• 13Yun
• 24VargasBooked at 45mins
• 20Henry
• 30Guimaraes CordeiroBooked at 19minsSubstituted forBartonat 45'minutes
• 10Fer
• 25Zamora
• 9Austin

Substitutes

• 6Hill
• 7Phillips
• 8Barton
• 12McCarthy
• 15Onuoha
• 19Kranjcar
• 23Hoilett

Man City

• 1Hart
• 3SagnaBooked at 55mins
• 26Demichelis
• 20Mangala
• 22Clichy
• 25FernandinhoSubstituted forDzekoat 64'minutesSubstituted forLampardat 68'minutes
• 6Reges
• 15Navas
• 42Y Touré
• 8NasriBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMilnerat 74'minutes
• 16Agüero

Substitutes

• 5Zabaleta
• 7Milner
• 10Dzeko
• 13Caballero
• 18Lampard
• 35Jovetic
• 38Boyata

Referee:

Mike Dean

Attendance:

18,005

Match Stats

Home TeamQPRAway TeamMan City

Possession

Home41%

Away59%

Shots

Home17

Away24

Shots on Target

Home4

Away7

Corners

Home7

Away7

Fouls

Home9

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Manchester City 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Manchester City 2.

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joey Barton.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt blocked. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesús Navas.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Milner.

Posted at 89'

Attempt missed. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Eduardo Vargas with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Eliaquim Mangala.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Frank Lampard (Manchester City).

Posted at 86'

Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Goal!

Posted at 83'

Goal! Queens Park Rangers 2, Manchester City 2. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yaya Touré with a through ball.

Posted at 83'

Hand ball by Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers).

Posted at 82'

Attempt missed. Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Bacary Sagna following a corner.

Posted at 82'

Attempt missed. Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joey Barton.

Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. James Milner (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bacary Sagna.

Posted at 81'

Attempt saved. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. James Milner (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesús Navas with a cross.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Yun Suk-Young with a cross.

Posted at 80'

Attempt blocked. Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Martín Demichelis (Manchester City).

Posted at 79'

Bobby Zamora (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 78'

Attempt blocked. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

Goal!

Posted at 76'

Own Goal by Martín Demichelis, Manchester City. Queens Park Rangers 2, Manchester City 1.

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Bobby Zamora (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Eduardo Vargas.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Manchester City. James Milner replaces Samir Nasri.

Posted at 73'

Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers).

Posted at 71'

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joey Barton.

Substitution

Posted at 68'

Substitution, Manchester City. Frank Lampard replaces Edin Dzeko because of an injury.

Posted at 66'

Attempt saved. Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Joey Barton with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Manchester City. Edin Dzeko replaces Fernandinho.

Posted at 63'

Attempt missed. Steven Caulker (Queens Park Rangers) with an attempt from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Eduardo Vargas.

Posted at 63'

Attempt missed. Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Richard Dunne with a cross.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Fernando (Manchester City).

Posted at 63'

Richard Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 62'

Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Fernando.

Posted at 61'

Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers).

Posted at 61'

Gaël Clichy (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers).

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