QPR 2 - 3 Manchester City: Yaya Toure clinches hard-fought win for City

QPR boss Neil Warnock watched his side give everything but come away empty-handed from a 3-2 defeat to league leaders Manchester City at Loftus Road.

Rangers became the first side to go in front against City this season, thanks to Jay Bothroyd, and then levelled after the game had turned in City’s favour with two goals either side of the break.

Even after Yaya Toure had headed home what turned out to be the winner QPR had chances, with Heidar Helguson hitting the bar and Scotland striker Jamie Mackie failing to go down when Warnock felt he would have been granted a certain penalty.

“It is a diabolical result,” said Warnock. “Football can be a cruel game sometimes. You do not get what you deserve.

“We have made three errors in 90 minutes against a side I would regard as the best in the world, and got punished every time.

“The performance probably surprised a few people, but I think we can get even better. I guess you have to take it on the chin. It is results like that that make them champions elect.”

Warnock’s frustration was understandable. Probably more than any other side this season, QPR made the Blues dig deep into their vast reserves.

After a lethargic first half hour, the visitors rallied through Edin Dzeko’s tenth goal of the season before star man David Silva produced the moment of the match. The Spaniard had a number of options when Dzeko rolled a pass to him inside the box and as the QPR defenders stood back and waited, he darted on to the ball far too quickly for Danny Gabbidon, but with enough distance ahead of Anton Ferdinand to bury his shot into the home net.

Once in front, City were not to be headed a second time, with Toure finishing the game off to complete a remarkable 11-game tally of 31 points and 39 goals.

“The only time I have seen attacking like that is when I watch Barcelona on TV,” said City assistant boss David Platt.

“We have won the game because we have scored three more goals. We feel as though there are goals in the team. Even at 1-0 down, even if it had gone to 2-0, I knew we were not out of it.”