QPR 0-1

 

Independent:

Chelsea 0 QPR 1
by Sam Wallace

At the final whistle tonight there was an impassioned chorus of Rafa Benitez’s name, sung by supporters with pride and delight. Unfortunately for the Chelsea manager it came from the Queens Park Rangers fans in the away end at Stamford Bridge.
As for Benitez himself he had made a quick exit, having just presided over the worst league result at Stamford Bridge in recent years and arguably the biggest shock of the Premier League season so far. Chelsea 0, Queen's Park Rangers 1. It looks like a misprint, but it actually happened: bottom-of-the-table QPR beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
QPR have not won at Stamford Bridge since April 1983, when both sides were in the old Second Division, in a season in which Chelsea also lost at home to Shrewsbury Town. The killer blow was delivered by Shaun Wright-Phillips who joined Chelsea more than seven years ago as one of the great emerging talents of English football and has since then lost his way. Tonight, he came in from the cold in spectacular fashion.
In his time at Chelsea, Wright-Phillips scored just one Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge in his three years at the club, and no-one will remember that one as long as they remember the goal he scored tonight. A first-half substitute for Junior Hoilett, Wright-Phillips was one of those QPR players who sleepwalked through a defeat to Liverpool on Sunday like a team that had already accepted the cold embrace of relegation.
Tonight, QPR won only their second game in 21 matches and in doing so declared themselves very much alive and kicking. "We had a good meeting after the Liverpool game," Redknapp said. "I think I convinced them we can stay up. I said that on Sunday and everybody probably thought I was mad. I didn't go home thinking we were doomed and 'What have I done here?'"
As for Chelsea, Benitez was moved to declare that if his team, 14 points behind leaders Manchester United in fourth, with a game in hand, were to challenge for the title this season they would need to be "almost perfect". That sounds like a tall order.
From Chelsea's point of view, Demba Ba cannot come join soon enough, and there were suggestions that he was in the stadium ahead of what is expected to the final stages in the agent-free-for-all carve-up that has been his move from Newcastle.
Fernando Torres is tired, according to Benitez, which is understandable given that he has started all 20 of Chelsea's league games this season. Even so, that did not completely account for another lifeless display from Chelsea's No 9. He was not the only one. The likes of David Luiz, Frank Lampard and Oscar might have done better too.
Benitez left Juan Mata, Ashley Cole, Ramires and Eden Hazard on the bench, eventually having to bring on all but Cole, who was goaded by the QPR fans as "John Terry's b****" as he warmed up on the touchline yet managed to keep his cool – which is progress. Marko Marin was given his first league start by Benitez and might have been sent off in the first four minutes for a terrible foul on Stéphane Mbia.
There will be criticism for Benitez for playing the side that he did, but this was a Chelsea XI that should have beaten a QPR team with their confidence on the floor. This time Redknapp said that he had hammered home to his players the job required of them. Certainly a 4-3-3 formation that reverted to 4-5-1 when they were defending looked a lot more effective than the side which succumbed so easily on Sunday.
There were excellent performances from Shaun Derry, Esteban Granero, Ryan Nelsen and Nedum Onuoha but the pick of the lot was Julio Cesar. His save from Torres on 53 minutes when the striker had a hit at goal from close range was a match-defining moment.
There was no doubt that QPR rode their luck at times, but Chelsea had their moment of good fortune early on with Marin. At 5ft 7in, he is not the man you would anticipate coming over all Ron Harris. Losing control of the ball on four minutes, he launched studs-up at Mbia and caught the midfielder squarely on the shin and was only given a yellow card.
It should have been a red card. Chelsea's best chance of the first half came within two minutes of the break when a shot from Oscar that was deflected off Lampard was well-stopped by Cesar who was travelling in the wrong direction at the time.
Having left Djbril Cissé on the bench in favour of Adel Taraabt at centre-forward, Redknapp lacked a cutting edge to test Ross Turnbull in goal. The screw was turned on QPR after the break. Marin sent the ball across goal where a touch from Victor Moses would have been enough for a goal. Gary Cahill headed just over the bar. Cesar made that save from Torres.
Only on one occasion before the goal did they carve out a proper chance when Taraabt managed to get the ball through to Jamie Mackie who could not get away from Cahill to get the shot in.
It was from a corner that QPR finally broke through, one that was won by their own hard work. When the ball came out, Taraabt teed it up nicely for Wright-Phillips who struck a well-judged right foot shot past Turnbull and inside the goalkeeper's right post. At the end, Redknapp punched the air in front of his supporters, his pronouncement on Sunday that his side could stay up this season looking a shade more credible.

Man of the match Cesar.
Match rating 7/10.
Referee L Mason (Lancashire).
Attendance 41,634.


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Guardian:

Shaun Wright-Phillips stuns Chelsea to earn QPR a dramatic victory

David Hytner at Stamford Bridge

It had been difficult to find anything that was not stacked against Queens Park Rangers in this derby or their crusade to avoid the drop into the Championship. A couple of statistics stood out. They had not won at Stamford Bridge since 1983. And only one club that has entered New Year's Day at the foot of the Premier League table has avoided relegation.
The obstacles merely added gloss to a performance and result that will live long in the memories of every QPR fan that witnessed it, particularly if it can serve as the catalyst for a feat of grand escapology.
Harry Redknapp's team rode their luck at times, particularly during a Chelsea purple patch early in the second half. The visitors were indebted to the rugged quality of their defending and to the goalkeeper Júlio César, who made decisive interventions, none more eye-catching than his 52nd-minute stop from Fernando Torres. The unromantic reading of the evening had Chelsea being robbed. They had the chances to win and jump to third place. Their players departed in a daze.
QPR, though, saw a different script, one built on mental and physical toughness, a willingness to work for each other and rounded off by a fairytale winner from the former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, whose previous Premier League goal had come in May 2010 for Manchester City.
Oscar half-cleared a QPR corner to Adel Taarabt and the playmaker caressed his lay-off into Wright-Phillips' path and positively begged him to lash it first time for goal. The substitute obliged and his right-footed drive from outside the area was marked by such timing and power that it deserved nothing less than to swell the far corner of the net.
This was the classic game of two halves. The first was dire; the second absorbing and, ultimately, glorious for QPR. Redknapp talked of the victory having the capacity to alter perceptions, both within the club and outside it. Rival teams, he suggested, would look over their shoulders to note what was QPR's first away win in 24 league games and their first clean sheet away from Loftus Road since November 2011. Amid the post-match fervour in the QPR dressing room, the players felt the injection of belief.
Redknapp's team had even had to overcome the whiff of injustice in the third minute when Marko Marin, on his full Premier League debut for Chelsea, lunged in on Stéphane Mbia with the sort of late and high challenge that brings winces and gasps. The mark just below Mbia's knee suggested the challenge merited red rather than the yellow shown by Lee Mason but Redknapp absolved the winger of blame afterwards, when he also confirmed his interest in signing the former Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim. "We will look to give him a contract until the end of the season," said the QPR manager.
Mason was the official who sent off QPR's Shaun Derry at Manchester United last season for the non-foul on Ashley Youngand it was Derry who led the retribution against Marin. The midfielder's challenge was not quite a clothes line but the outstretched arm that collared Marin ought to have brought a booking. Derry escaped, as did Clint Hill when he went through the back of Marin in the second half.
Redknapp made changes fromSunday's dismal surrender against Liverpool, loading the midfield and asking Taarabt to sprinkle his magic as a false No9. He also lost Junior Hoilett early on to a hamstring pull, which paved the way for Wright-Phillips' introduction.
Chelsea's changes, though, drew some of the post-match focus, with Rafael Benítez forced to defend his decision to use Eden Hazard and Juan Mata as substitutes after the hour. Ashley Cole was left on the bench. The Chelsea manager argued it was physically impossible for his players to play every minute of every game.
The first half was cagey but QPR did not care, as they set up deep, pressed and scrapped for the result that could bring hope. Wright-Phillips sent a shot skidding wide on the break but otherwise, the pattern was established: Chelsea on the front foot, seeking to prise QPR apart.
David Luiz volleyed into the ground and over the crossbar; Torres's touch deserted him when he was well-placed and Oscar twice had sightings. His first shot deflected wide off Hill; the second ricocheted off Frank Lampard and forced César into a reaction save with his feet. Victor Moses lifted the follow-up over the bar. None of the chances, though, could be described as clear-cut.
The second half brought the drama. Chelsea improved, with Marin and Oscar showing quicksilver quality. Marin tricked past Derry and his low cross just eluded Moses while Lampard saw a shot deflected wide. Branislav Ivanovic also skimmed the top of the crossbar with a header.
The moment when Chelsea thought they had cracked it came when David Luiz's rocket hit Wright-Phillips to fall for Torres, eight yards out. César, though, blocked the blast unflinchingly. Chelsea were also left to rue the borderline offside decision that pulled back Lampard after he had shot into the far corner.
But QPR had their moments, not least when Taarabt's beautiful through-ball released Jamie Mackie, who was denied by Gary Cahill's saving tackle. Earlier, following a smart break from Wright-Phillips and Taarabt,
Esteban Granero's curling shot forced Ross Turnbull to save. Wright-Phillips' goal, though, sparked the delirium and, when Ivanovic's late flicked header drifted inches wide, QPR knew that it would be a famous night.

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Chelsea 0 Queens Park Rangers 1
by Henry winter

This was a crazy, unbelievable, historic occasion. The last time Queens Park Rangers won at Chelsea in the top division Gloria Gaynor was No 1 with I Will Survive. It was in March 1979 and, whisper this around joyous Rs fans this morning, a good team containing Glenn Roeder, Stan Bowles, Paul Goddard and Gerry Francis still failed to survive, going down.
QPR are still five points adrift of safety but they have given themselves hope, not simply with the three points but with the disciplined, determined performance. They outwitted the champions of Europe. “Can we play you every week?’’ inquired the 2,800 visiting fans as the home sections of Stamford Bridge emptied speedily after the final whistle.
It was a bit-player in Chelsea’s history who inflicted the damage.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, who played at the Bridge from 2005 to 2008, struck the coolest of winners, his first league goal in 969 days, to engineer the most unlikely of results. It was a reminder of the Premier League’s frequent, absorbing unpredictability.
This was a win rooted in the game plan of Harry Redknapp, enjoying his first victory at the Bridge since March 1999, and his players’ commitment and sense of collectivity. QPR were unrecognisable from the side so shambolic when vanquished by Liverpool at Loftus Road on Sunday.
Redknapp’s players gave everything, from the commanding Júlio César in goal to the redoubtable sentries Clint Hill and Ryan Nelsen at centre-back through the combative Shaun Derry shielding the back four to the tireless Jamie Mackie out wide and, arguably most surprisingly, the lone frontrunner Adel Taarabt.
Not a natural target-man, Taarabt proved an intelligent, willing outlet, frequently concerning David Luiz in deep midfield and the two Chelsea centre-halves Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic. When Wright-Phillips arrived, for the hamstrung Junior Hoilett, QPR had another outlet and, 13 minutes from time, a match-winner.
A further influence was QPR’s support, who kept backing their team passionately. Ten minutes after the game finished, they were singing the praises of “Harry Redknapp” and, in an attempt to wind up the few remaining Chelsea punters, “Rafa Benítez”.
Chelsea fans will debate long and critically their interim first-team manager’s decision to start stars like Eden Hazard and particularly Juan Mata on the bench. Benítez argued afterwards that rotation was necessary to prevent tiredness creeping in. Yet Chelsea’s next Premier League test is not until Jan 12 (they have FA Cup and Capital One Cup duties before then). Benítez, in fairness, was not helped by Fernando Torres delivering one of his most anonymous performances. Demba Ba’s arrival will be timely.
Benítez had given a chance to the likes of Marko Marin, whose desire to make an impact took on a juddering significance after three minutes when he over-ran the ball and launched himself at Stéphane Mbia in an attempt to win it back. It was high, late and dangerous and demanded a red card. Lee Mason somehow deemed it worthy only of a yellow.
Chelsea’s changes inevitably affected their usual rhythm. They missed Mata’s guile and the trickery of Hazard until midway through the second half. The champions of Europe needed some more subtlety to break down the massed ranks of the ­Premier League’s bottom-placed side.
The first half was poor. With little football to sing about, Chelsea fans resorted to taunting their relegation-threatened neighbours with chants of “We’ll never play you again” and “Jose Bosingwa”, a salute to their former full-back who upset Redknapp by refusing to sit on the bench against Fulham on Dec 15.
Chelsea enjoyed fleeting moments of promise in an impoverished first half. David Luiz shot over. Oscar had a shot diverted to safety by Hill. A Marin cross was headed away by Fabio. The half continued to subside towards the break like a balloon deflating. Derry caught Marin, an act that did not perturb Mason. Ivanovic connected with a shot that startled a few in the upper tier of the Shed.
The fans were certainly emotionally engaged. When Ashley Cole emerged to warm up, QPR fans reminded him they had not forgotten the John Terry-Anton Ferdinand dispute. At half-time, the visiting contingent asked caustically as to the identity of the former Chelsea player being paraded around the pitch. “He won more ­medals at Chelsea than QPR have won in their history,’’ declared the Bridge announcer of Marvin Hinton.
The second half was an improvement. It had to be. Chelsea seemed briefly sharper. When Marin crossed, Victor Moses somehow failed from five yards. Ivanovic headed a corner over. César then made a magnificent save from Torres from eight yards.
QPR threatened on the counter. Esteban Granero’s curling shot was held by Ross Turnbull, deputising for the injured Petr Cech. Gary Cahill executed a sliding tackle to nick the ball from the feet of the bustling Mackie, who was through on goal.
Benítez sent on Hazard and then Mata but the substitute who decided matters was already on. Wright-Phillips was to strike. When Chelsea failed to clear properly, Taarabt took control. The Moroccan could have tried one of his little jinking runs, nipping into the box. Instead, he calmly and selflessly rolled the ball right to Wright-Phillips who scored with a fine low strike from 20 yards.
As the seconds ticked away, QPR fans beseeched their team to hold on.
With four minutes remaining, Ivanovic was fouled by Hill just outside the area. QPR’s wall was so big it almost needed planning permission.
Luiz could not find a way through the nine-man barricade. QPR stood firm. They need such resolve and discipline again and again now.


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Mail:

Chelsea 0 QPR 1: Harry's boys rock Rafa as Wright-Phillips seal crucial win for QPR

By NEIL ASHTON

The celebrations from Shaun Wright-Phillips were muted, just a simple nod of the head to acknowledge his outrageous winner.
He left the whooping and hollering to Harry Redknapp and his assistant as they bounced off each other’s chests like tennis doubles champions the Bryan brothers.
Up in the Shed End, QPR fans paused for a moment, checked with the assistant referee Scott Ledger and then referee Lee Mason.
The goal, struck 12 minutes from time by former Chelsea winger Wright-Phillips, was good.
And then all hell broke loose.
It was pandemonium, bedlam at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea’s supporters looked at each other in disbelief.
This felt more like an FA Cup shock than QPR’s second Barclays Premier League victory of the season.
The Great Escape and all that is on for Harry Houdini.
Cheesy? Yes, but who cares after this crazy result.
Anyone who watched QPR’s dismantling by Liverpool on Sunday at Loftus Road expected an avalanche last night.
Surely no Rangers fans would have complained if Brendan Rodgers’ side had rattled in 10 past Julio Cesar.
That’s the way things are when your team are bottom of the table and getting beaten every week by the likes of Swansea, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion, never mind Liverpool.
You turn up, you lose, you get relegated at the end of the season.
Even Chelsea fans, long before Wright-Phillips scored with a rasping drive from the edge of the area, were putting them in the picture.
‘We’ll never play you again,’ they sang from the Matthew Harding Stand and a look at the league table confirmed the reasons why.
As things stood, QPR were preparing to renew their west London rivalry with League One  promotion-chasers Brentford in the Championship next season.
This time — and it has to be this way when you’ve got an owner as ballsy as Tony Fernandes and a manager with the reputation of Redknapp — they have finally shown a bit of spirit.
This victory will not stop Fernandes digging deep in the transfer window as Redknapp presses him for the four players he believes can keep Rangers up.
This is lift off. Their next game in the Premier League, against the boss’s old club Tottenham on January 14, cannot come soon enough.
They are in with a shout again via a player who scored one Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge in three seasons as a Chelsea player.
Wright-Phillips was only thrust into action when Junior Hoilett  succumbed to an injury after 15 minutes, but his intervention delighted his QPR team-mates, who shouted and screamed the place down as they walked down the tunnel.
That’s when they finally got there, milking the moment by celebrating the club’s first league win at  Stamford Bridge since 1983.
Redknapp was in front of them, punching the air and promising Rangers fans they would never give up after this extraordinary win.
Captain Clint Hill joined him, marching the length of the pitch with Shaun Derry to salute 3,000 delirious visiting supporters.
Hill deserved this moment. Against Liverpool he was turned inside-out numerous times by  Luis Suarez but showed his character last night.
But this was a bad 90 minutes for Rafa Benitez, a real bite on the bum after four successive victories.
They were looking good, sharp and accomplished after victories over Leeds, Aston Villa, Norwich and Everton.
Benitez put out a Capital One Cup team but it should still have been enough to beat a side without a win on the road since they beat Stoke on November 19, 2011.
‘The lads are going mad in the dressing room, the best atmosphere since I’ve been here,’ admitted Redknapp.
Across the corridor it was like a morgue. Chelsea had been on a charge and Benitez was brought in to chew teams like QPR up.
This should have been be easy for Chelsea but they hardly got past Hill and Ryan Nelsen.
That central defensive pairing — combined age 69 — is creaking but they allowed Fernando Torres just one effort on goal all night.
It came via a deflected effort by David Luiz and even then Cesar, disinterested during the defeat by Liverpool, was on hand to bat it away to safety.
There were other chances. Frank Lampard’s effort was ruled out and Branislav Ivanovic’s header was inches over the crossbar.
Even without the creative talents of Eden Hazard and Juan Mata — both started on the bench — Chelsea still had match-winning potential all over the pitch.
One of them, Marko Marin, was lucky to remain on the field after an outrageous two-footed lunge that shredded the socks of QPR midfielder Stephane Mbia after just four minutes.
The Germany man escaped with a booking.
Perhaps Manchester United’s sparkling form over Christmas — beating Newcastle, West Bromwich and walloping Wigan — has ended Chelsea’s title challenge.
Perhaps the players, after slipping 11 points behind United and four short of City with 18 left to play, feel their race has been run.
They have slipped up too often —  losing and drawing against Rangers, drawing with Swansea, losing at West Bromwich and West Ham when they have the pedigree and players to win such games.
Instead they blew it and that’s why this morning is all about QPR and that man Redknapp.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 0-1 QPR Little big man: Wright-Phillips stuns Chelsea to hand Rangers survival lifeline
By Martin Lipton 

Maybe Redknapp was right after all. Only a "dope" leaves out half his first team for a local derby.
Nothing hurts as much as the realisation that you have allowed yourself to be misled.
And as Redknapp orchestrated the most unlikely result of the season to date last night, the jeers that echoed round Stamford Bridge were a brutal reality check for Chelsea and Rafa Benitez.
Seven wins out of eight and a return to their trademark resilience and bite suggested Benitez was making Chelsea into unlikely title contenders.
Not any more, not after a night that put all those victories into proper perspective, as Benitez' faith in his rotation policy backfired spectacularly.
Maybe watching the video of Rangers' capitulation to Liverpool fooled Benitez into believing he could leave out Ashley Cole, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard among five changes and still win at a counter.
Maybe he thought the knowledge that Demba Ba is about to put pen to paper would ensure Fernando Torres would send out a statement of his personal intent.
Instead, Chelsea, lucky to not be down to 10 inside four minutes when Marko Marin got away with a cast-iron red card foul on Stephane Mbia, saw fortune run out at the hands of an unlikely assassin.
In three years wearing Chelsea Blue, Shaun Wright-Phillips scored one Premier League goal at The Bridge. Just one.
But 12 minutes from time last night, after Rangers had withstood a second half siege as Chelsea finally turned up, the former England winger scored the most important goal he will ever score in SW6.
Estaban Granero's corner was only cleared as far as Adel Taarabt, who could have gone for goal himself.
The Moroccan instead laid off, inviting Wright-Phillips to unleash the right footer past Ross Turnbull which could have such a significant effect on both these West London rivals.
For Rangers and Redknapp, their first victory at the Bridge since 1983, a first away triumph in 14 months, brought joy and life where there had been despair, only their second win of the season, although still not enough to lift them off the bottom.
But for Chelsea and Benitez, jeered off the park at the final whistle, 14 points off Manchester United's pace, all that is left is the quest for a top four finish. And that, come what may, will never be good enough for Roman Abramovich.


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Sun:

HARRY REDKNAPP tore up his football blueprint and parked the bus to ambush weary Chelsea at the Bridge.
by Mark Irwin

And the manager renowned for his attacking philosophy was making no apologies for the safety-first methods he used to snatch this most unlikely of victories.
Shaun Wright-Phillips’ stunning 78th-minute strike was enough to bring his former team-mates crashing back to earth and end any Chelsea thoughts of re-entering the title race.
Wright-Phillips was little more than a bit-part player during his three years at Chelsea following a £21million move from Manchester City back in 2005.

But he finally proved his point last night when he stroked home a magnificent late winner from the edge of the penalty area.

And that goal might just be the spark Rangers have been waiting for as they secured their first away win since November 2011 and their first at Stamford Bridge since 1986.

Now Redknapp will believe that he has found the way to escape relegation and it will be a case of substance over style for QPR for the rest of the season.

And if they can upset the soccer sensibilities of their bitter west London rivals along the way... so much the better.

Chelsea were convinced they were denied a perfectly good goal when Lampard was incorrectly ruled offside before firing home midway through the second half.

But the brutal truth is that they simply did not do enough against a QPR team who barely crossed the halfway line for an hour before striking out to grab all three points.

Redknapp had bullishly declared after Sunday’s home mauling by Liverpool that he was still confident of keeping Rangers up.

But that optimism was not shared by many of his team’s followers who recalled the 6-1 hammering they suffered on their last visit to the Bridge in April.

This promised to be every bit as one-sided but at least we were spared the spite of recent west London derbies, with the absence of John Terry and Anton Ferdinand from the starting line-ups.

So it was left to the unlikely figure of Marko Marin to open hostilities in his first Premier League start for Chelsea.

The German was lucky to escape with just a yellow card for an horrendous over-the-top challenge on Stephane Mbia which caught the QPR midfielder full in the shin.

Marin was one of five changes to the Chelsea team which had won at Everton on Sunday as boss Rafa Benitez tried to give his jaded squad a bit of a breather.

For this was Chelsea’s 33rd match of an already gruelling season and it was clear that some of their stars were starting to feel the effects of such a draining schedule.

Not that QPR showed much interest in taking advantage of their opponents’ fatigue as they focused on keeping everyone behind the ball.

But it was enough to frustrate Chelsea and it was a full 43 minutes before either team managed a shot on target — that came when Oscar’s deflected effort was saved by the leg of Julio Cesar.

Chelsea should have broken the deadlock just after the interval when Victor Moses stuck out a foot to Marin’s fierce drive across the face of goal but could only steer the ball wide.

Branislav Ivanovic brushed the top of the bar with a header and Fernando Torres was denied by a Cesar save. Yet without Juan Mata’s influence, Chelsea were short of ideas.

Ryan Nelsen and Clint Hill might not be the quickest centre-back pairing in the business but what they lack in agility they more than make up for with heart.

And it just that fighting spirit which Rangers are going to need in bucketloads.

For history shows that only one team in Premier League history has started the New Year in 20th place and not been relegated.

But at least they can now see some light at the end of the tunnel

And that is more than can be said for a Chelsea team who can now wave goodbye to yet another trophy.

DREAM TEAM
SUN STAR MAN — RYAN NELSEN (QPR)

CHELSEA: Turnbull 6, Azpilicueta 6, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Bertrand 6, Luiz 6, Lampard 6, Marin 6, Oscar 6, Moses 6, Torres 6. Subs: Hazard (Marin 60) 6, Mata (Moses 75) 6, Ramires (Lampard 79) 5. Not used: Hilario, Cole, Ferreira, Piazon. Booked: Marin.
QPR: Julio Cesar 7, Onuoha 6, Nelsen 9, Hill 8, Fabio 7, Mbia 6, Derry 7, Hoilett 5, Granero 6, Taarabt 6, Mackie 7. Subs: Wright-Phillips (Hoilett 15) 7, Park (Granero 90) 5, Dyer (Taarabt 90) 5. Not used: Green, Ferdinand, Cisse, Faurlin. Booked: Hill.
REF: L Mason 7

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Express:

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS STUNS CHELSEA
Chelsea's four-match winning run in the Barclays Premier League ground to a spectacular halt as struggling west London rivals QPR claimed a 1-0 win - their first victory at Stamford Bridge for two decades.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, an early substitute for the injured Junior Hoilett, struck a brilliant 78th-minute winner against the club he left in 2008 to further erode the Blues' fading title hopes. Wright-Phillips' second goal of the season topped a fine performance from QPR that was a vast improvement on Sunday's tame home surrender to Liverpool.
It was a crucial victory that ended their three-match losing run, giving Harry Redknapp his second triumph since becoming manager last month, and while they remain bottom of the table on goal difference the result invigorated their relegation battle.
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez dropped Ramires, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to the bench, but the Blues still created more than enough chances to be out of sight before Wright-Phillips pounced. The lack of a goal will have added urgency to Chelsea's pursuit of Demba Ba after tabling the £7million bid that has triggered the release clause in the Newcastle striker's contract.
Marko Marin, making his first start, was extremely lucky to escape a fourth-minute red card from referee Lee Mason after driving into the shin of Stephane Mbia with a one-footed, studs-first challenge. QPR suffered a setback when Hoilett limped off in the 16th minute with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, resulting in Wright-Phillips' arrival from the bench.
A corner bounced harmlessly off the shin of Fernando Torres and play quickly swept to the opposite end as Esteban Granero picked out Wright-Phillips from long range, with the ensuing first-time shot slipping narrowly wide. QPR rarely escaped their half but were defending resolutely with skipper Clint Hill nodding clear a curling shot from Oscar.
The Blues lost their way in the 10 minutes before half-time, the result of a lack of urgency and series of errors, but shots from Oscar and Frank Lampard brought them back to life. Victor Moses wasted a glorious chance three minutes after the interval when he steered Marin's fast pass wide when only four yards out.
QPR's goal was coming under growing pressure with Branislav Ivanovic grazing the crossbar, David Luiz seeing a rocket blocked and only a brave save by Julio Cesar denying Torres from point-blank range. Adel Taarabt and Wright-Phillips combined superbly to tee up Granero but the Spaniard's shot was plucked from the air by goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, who started ahead of groin injury victim Petr Cech.
QPR were now in the ascendancy with Jamie Mackie denied a one on one with Turnbull by a last-ditch tackle from Gary Cahill before Shaun Derry's header was caught by the Chelsea goalkeeper. Lampard then stabbed the ball home but the flag had been raised for offside in what was a close but correct call.
Once again Chelsea faded and this time QPR took advantage, working the ball from a corner via Taarabt to Wright-Phillips, who drove the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from the edge of the area. Ivanovic nodded over the crossbar in the dying moments and QPR held on for a precious three points.


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Star:

CHELSEA 0 - QPR 1: SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS IS A HIT TO LIFT QPR HOPES
by David Woods

CHELSEA old boy Shaun Wright-Phillips stunned Rafa Benitez’s men last night to give QPR a vital lift.
The Premier League’s bottom club took the lead with 12 minutes left when Wright-Phillips fired home from 22 yards after being set up by Adel Taarabt when a corner was only half-cleared.
That lifted boss Harry Redknapp’s spirits after a bleak festive period where QPR failed to claim a point from their three games.
In contrast, tinkerman Benitez’s decision to shake up his Chelsea side failed to pay dividends.
After four successive league wins, the Stamford Bridge outfit were expected to roll over Rangers.
But in a disjointed display, Benitez’s Blues struggled to produced their best form and found Redknapp’s strugglers surprisingly resilient.
Benitez made five changes from the team which won 2-1 at Everton on Sunday.
Only one was enforced, with keeper Petr Cech missing out, having picked up a groin injury at Goodison.
Ashley Cole, Eden Hazard, Ramires and Juan Mata were rested.
A big rotation fan, Benitez’s team was more like one for a domestic cup tie against far lesser opposition, which Rangers, in theory, were.
Until last night’s game they had managed just one league win this season.
The Hoops had also not won on the road in the top flight since a victory at Stoke on November 19 2011.
Benitez’s changes last night allowed a full league debut for Marko Marin.
But It should have lasted just three minutes, with the German international midfielder guilty of a shocking studs-up challenge on Stephane Mbia.
It was a potential leg-breaker, but Mbia escaped serious injury and Martin was amazingly let off with just a caution from Lee Mason.
David Luiz had the first chance, meeting a deflected Victor Moses cross which he hit into the ground on the edge of the box. It bounced just over the bar.
Rangers lost Junior Hoilett to a hamstring injury in the 15th minute, which led to Wright-Phillips’ introduction.
In the 26th minute he had a snap-shot at goal from 25 yards, but it faded past the far post.
Oscar had an on-target shot deflected for a corner by a wellplaced Clint Hill, after Marin dispossessed his earlier victim Mbia.
Soon after Shaun Derry caught Marin round the throat to stop him running and again there was no punishment from Mason, despite it deserving a booking.
Mason sent off Derry last season for a ‘non-foul’ on Manchester United’s Ashley Young, so maybe it was payback.
Just before the break Chelsea livened up, with Julio Cesar saving an Oscar shot with a foot after it deflected off Frank Lampard.
But it was rather drab stuff from the Blues against a Rangers team who at least looked organised and like they had learned something from their shoddy defensive display on Sunday in losing 3-0 at home to Liverpool.
Following such a poor first half, there was a muted atmosphere at the Bridge, but Chelsea should have gone ahead in the 48th minute.
Marin did some good work cutting into the box from the left with a jinking run past Derry. He looked to have set up Victor Moses to sidefoot in, but the ex-Wigan star did not get a firm enough contact.
Oscar set up Lampard, but his shot was blocked by Ryan Nelsen. Luiz had a shot blocked by Hill and Fernando Torres was denied with the follow-up.
With a win needed to reclaim third spot from Tottenham, Chelsea continued to surge forward, with Rangers relying on lone striker Taarabt to give them some relief at the other end.
There was not much of it, but Taarabt did well in the 58th minute to tee up Esteban Granero, whose curling drive was well struck but bent straight into Turnbull’s hands.
But no such problem for Wright-Phillips, whose strike settled the contest to cheer the Rangers fans.