Manchester City vs. QPR: Score, Report and Reaction from Premier League
Queens Park Rangers were relegated from the Premier League following an embarrassing 6-0 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.
Sergio Aguero scored in the fourth, 50th and 65th minutes to notch his fifth hat-trick for City. Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner and the lively David Silva were the other scorers as the hosts confirmed their place in the top four.
That means City will feature in the UEFA Champions League again next season, though it is unclear whether manager Manuel Pellegrini will remain in his post. Recent reports have linked City with Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, but according to ESPN FC, sources within the club have denied the rumors.
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For QPR, meanwhile, Sunday's defeat was their 23rd and heaviest of the season. Appropriately, since it confirmed Rangers' relegation from the top flight, it highlighted many of the flaws that have plagued the club throughout this doomed campaign—not least their poor away form.
Needing a victory to retain any hopes of remaining in the division, Chris Ramsey's side disappointed from the start, appearing disorganized and confused, showing little intensity and committing a host of errors. Without an overhaul in the summer, Rangers will struggle to make an instant return to the Premier League.
Up next, Manchester City play at Swansea City on Sunday. City currently sit in second place, three points ahead of Arsenal, who have two games in hand. QPR, who are bottom of the table, host relegation candidates Newcastle United on Saturday.
Shortly after kick-off, QPR's woes were on full display, as City repeatedly shredded the visitors' defense. A first good chance came in the third minute, following a giveaway by Leroy Fer, which allowed the hosts to counter at pace. The ball found Aguero in a dangerous spot, but the Argentinian's shot was blocked.
It was a let off for QPR, but it was short-lived. One minute later, City went ahead.
The move started inside City's half, with Pablo Zabaleta's pass crossing the midfield line to pick out Aguero. Taking possession 40 yards from goal, Aguero bore down on goal as the defense parted before him. Following a fortuitous bounce inside the box, the Argentinian lifted the ball past the onrushing Rob Green to give City a quick lead.
City continued to dominate for long stretches, but QPR had the ball in the back of the net in the 20th minute via a Charlie Austin header. The goal did not stand, however, as Austin was flagged offside.
The hosts came close to scoring a second goal following some impressive interplay in the 25th minute. Silva freed Milner with a through ball on the right side of the box, and Milner crossed into the middle with his first touch. Eliaquim Mangala was unmarked, but the centre-back was unable to put a foot on the ball to turn it into the net.
Again, it was only a brief reprieve for QPR. In the 32nd minute, City doubled their lead. Kolarov was the scorer, curling a free-kick from long distance through a gap in the wall with his favored left foot. Once the ball cleared the first line of defenders, Green had little chance of keeping it out at his right-hand post.
City had another big chance four minutes later, as David Silva picked out Aguero with an angled pass down the left flank. Outpacing his marker, Aguero only had to beat Green one-on-one, but the QPR goalkeeper produced a fine save to keep his side within two goals.
QPR almost pulled a goal back in the 38th minute. Joey Barton lofted a free-kick to the edge of the box, where Steven Caulker won a towering header. The ball fell to Fer, who lifted a shot over Joe Hart and onto the top of the crossbar. Bobby Zamora tried to turn in the rebound, but his header lacked power and Hart raced back to save.
Trailing 2-0 at half-time, the visitors self-destructed again early in the second half to gift City a third goal. As the hosts tried to counter following a QPR corner, Yun Suk-Young was well-positioned to intercept the attack. Unfortunately for the South Korean defender, he let the ball slip under his foot, freeing Aguero for a 50-yard run on goal. Keeping his composure, Aguero raced to the edge of the box before slotting past Green to make it 3-0.
City had three more chances shortly thereafter. In the 55th minute, Frank Lampard lifted a first-time shot over the bar from close range following a Zabaleta cross. Six minutes later, Green saved one-on-one from Silva after a flowing move freed the Spaniard. Green then punched away a Kolarov free-kick in the 62nd minute.
But there was no stopping Aguero in the 65th minute, with the Argentinian slamming in a penalty to complete his hat-trick. Matt Phillips conceded the penalty one minute earlier, bundling over Silva in the box as a cross flew overhead.
It was 5-0 in the 70th minute. Rising high in the middle of the box, substitute Wilfried Bony knocked down a corner for Aguero at the far post. Aguero hit the ball back across the middle for Milner, who tapped in.
The match was well and truly finished as a contest, and in the 81st minute, Bony sent a thundering shot from the edge of the box off the near post. The rebound fell to Milner, who dragged his shot wide.
City still had time for a sixth goal, finding the net once more in the 87th minute following an excellent team move. Aguero started the sequence with a pass from the left flank to Bony in the middle. Bony held up the ball and backheeled to Silva, who cut through the box, rounded Green and slotted into the net to round off the scoring.
Reaction
Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini, via BBC Sport:
"I think for Sergio Aguero it is really important to score. He wants to be the top scorer this season but I think it's also the way he is playing. He is working a lot more during the game, moving more and receiving more balls.
David Silva is always a talent that decides the important passes in the 90 minutes.
"
QPR manager Chris Ramsey, via BBC Sport:
"We came here with a lot of hope, shot ourselves in the foot and gave away three set-pieces which they scored from. On the day we didn't really turn up and they are a very good team. The boys will be very disappointed in the way they performed. We are really feel sorry for the travelling fans.
As you can imagine the dressing room is very, very quiet. I don't think it's a time for post mortems, our fate is what it is. The club is in a rebuilding phase now and would have been anyway regardless of today. There are lots of people at the club who will be extremely disappointed in the way we conducted ourselves today.
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Follow @MiguelCominguez
