QPR vs. Manchester City: Score, Grades and Reaction from Premier League Game

Sergio Aguero bailed his side out twice as a sub-par Manchester City side escaped with a 2-2 draw against a vibrant Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

A smart finish from Charlie Austin and an own goal from the unfortunate Martin Demichelis had twice given the hosts the lead at Loftus Road, but on both occasions moments of individual brilliance from Aguero—his 11th and 12th league goals of the season—dragged City back into the game.

City, despite manager Manuel Pellegrini making five changes from the side that lost to CSKA Moscow in midweek, were once again far from their best over the course of the 90 minutes, with only a combination of Joe Hart’s heroics and Aguero’s excellence at the other end bailing them out against a QPR side that looked a completely different proposition to the disorganised side that began the campaign.

The result leaves City third in the Premier League table, with 21 points from their 11 games—already eight behind leaders Chelsea. QPR remain in the relegation zone after claiming their eighth point of the campaign, although they are now only a point behind the side just above the drop zone, Crystal Palace.

Almost from the off this was an unpredictable, engrossing match, exactly the sort that makes the Premier League so popular; full of controversial moments and dramatic chances at either end, if occasionally low on tactical discipline or defensive quality.

It was City who would have the first real chance of the game—Aguero taking the ball himself and firing narrowly over from 20 yards—but it was QPR who actually grabbed the early momentum, with Austin managing to have two goals disallowed within the space of a minute.

The first, after eight minutes, was clear-cut, the striker comically far beyond the last City defender before he steered a shot inside Hart’s near post. The second strike, however, was more controversial. From the resulting free-kick, Hart seemed to mishit his shot directly into the path of Austin, who lashed a powerful effort beyond the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.

The officials, however, had spotted that Hart had actually touched the ball twice in the process of skewing it to Austin—an infraction that meant the free-kick had to be retaken, much to the chagrin of the crowd inside Loftus Road.

Austin would finally have his moment, however. Again there were suspicions of offside, but this time the striker got the benefit of the doubt, latching onto Eduardo Vargas’s perceptive through ball before beating Hart with a low shot across the goalkeeper into the far corner.

QPR, and their in-form striker, would continue to threaten City’s goal, although Hart would get the better of Austin with a string of brilliant saves. One in particular the forward could hardly believe, Hart palming away his first time effort from another low cross—although the offside flag would again be raised in the aftermath.

At this point, City looked bereft of ideas and conviction, disorganised in defence and disjointed in attack. Aguero, so bright in the opening stages, looked particularly dismayed by how the game was unfolding, and it would ultimately be some individual brilliance from the Argentinian that would restore parity

Again, there was controversy involved, with suspicions of both offside and handball in the build-up. But the touch Aguero showed to take down Mangala’s long ball was exquisite, before the striker underlined his class by darting between Steven Caulker and Richard Dunne before slipping a deft shot inside Robert Green’s near post.

It was a goal City scarcely deserved, a moment of individual genius bailing them out. Thanks to Hart’s continuing excellence at the other end, it was enough to ensure City went into the break on level terms.

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

The second half soon settled into a more predictable pattern, with City absorbing much of the possession but struggling to turn that into clear chances around the QPR box, and the home side defending deep before springing dangerously on the counter-attack at any opportunity.

Samir Nasri was becoming increasingly influential, the Frenchman producing a low cross that Yaya Toure was only inches short of turning home, before producing a shot of his own that was well blocked by Caulker.

At the other end, QPR were knocking on the door but unable to produce a similar quality of chance that Austin had feasted on in the first half, with some great last-ditch defending from Martin Demichelis denying Bobby Zamora on one notable occasion.

Pellegrini’s attempts to change the game were thwarted by an injury to first substitute Edin Dzeko, who limped off just four minutes after coming on. Frank Lampard replaced him, with James Milner the final addition with just over 15 minutes remaining.

The bad luck would not end there, however, as QPR retook the lead moments later. There was not much Demichelis knew about it—the ball ricocheting off his head as he challenged Zamora for Austin’s cross and giving Hart no chance of recovering.

Thanks to some stupidity of QPR’s own, City almost equalised immediately. Substitute Joey Barton compounded Green’s poor clearance by trying to head it back to his goalkeeper, a move Aguero anticipated. The striker rounded Green but ran wide, allowing Dunne just enough time to get back to the goal line and clear the eventual shot.

The final 10 minutes were all City. A Milner header was cleared off the line and then a follow-up shot from the Englishman was deflected wide, moments after Yaya Toure had also forced a good save from Green. The goal appeared to be coming, and sure enough it did.

Again it was Aguero, whose composure was the secret to his success this time. Toure’s lofted ball played his forward in behind the two central defenders perfectly and Aguero again rounded Green, took a touch, before finding the corner with a calm shot.

"

Sergio Aguero has now scored 54.5% of Man City's 22 Premier League goals this season. Absolutely vital. pic.twitter.com/z1ByBknyAR

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 8, 2014"

Both sides pursued a winner in the closing moments, with Austin heading wide from a corner and Toure seeing a shot brilliantly charged down by Barton. But in the end, the game finished in a draw—perhaps a frustrating outcome for both sides.

QPR will perhaps feel they deserved to win this game and would have done were it not for the brilliance of Aguero. City, on the other hand, will be devastated that their recent abject run of form shows no signs of abating just yet. 

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

Player Ratings

Player	Rating
Robert Green	7
Yun	7
Richard Dunne	7
Steven Caulker	7
Mauricio Isla	7
Sandro	6
Karl Henry	7
Leroy Fer	7
Eduardo Vargas	8
Charlie Austin	8
Bobby Zamora	7
Substitutions
Joey Barton	7

Player	Rating
Joe Hart	8
Gael Clichy	5
Eliaquim Mangala	5
Martin Demichelis	6
Bacary Sagna	6
Fernando	5
Fernandinho	5
Yaya Toure	7
Samir Nasri	7
Jesus Navas	6
Sergio Aguero	8
Substitutions
Edin Dzeko	n/a
Frank Lampard	6
James Milner	7

What's Next?

With a break upcoming for international fixtures, QPR's next Premier League game is against Newcastle United on November 22. Manchester City play the same day, against Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium.