QPR 1-0

Independent:

Man in the mask Cesc Fabregas secures vital win in Premier League title race
 
QPR 0 Chelsea 1

Glenn Moore


Very rarely in the 700 matches of Roman Abramovich’s ownership have Chelsea managed only one shot on target, but that was all they needed to take another stride closer to the fourth Premier League title of the Russian’s reign.

Abramovich was present in west London to see his team gain their 438th win since he bought Chelsea in 2003. It was undeserved and undistinguished, with little of the stylish football he wants, but at this stage it is all about getting over the finishing line. With Chelsea seven points clear with a game in hand, it is now a matter of when, not if, they are champions.

It was not until the 88th minute that Cesc Fabregas, who had barely played a pass right all afternoon, sweetly steered his shot through a crowd of players into the bottom corner of Rob Green’s goal. It was a shattering blow for Queen’s Park Rangers, who had worked tremendously hard in pursuit of the victory they needed to climb out of the league’s bottom three.

They might have got it had Thibault Courtois not proved rather harder to beat from eight yards than he was from 66 last week. The Belgian made a stunning save from Matt Phillips just after the hour mark as Rangers built up a head of steam.

Referring both to Charlie Adam’s freak goal for Stoke City, and to last month’s error that handed Abel Hernandez a goal, Chelsea’s manager, Jose Mourinho, said: “Courtois was there for us, but I told him that after Hull and Charlie Adam we needed him to give us a couple of points, and he did that.”

Mourinho added: “We were fortunate. We controlled them very well, but they closed [pressed] very, very well, were very organised defensively and gave us a difficult match in terms of our creation. If we’d had to go home with a point, we would have [taken that]. But every time I was champion, I remember a couple of matches my team won in the last minute. A little light that shines for the team that are going to be champions.”

The ray of hope that shone for Rangers’ caretaker manager, Chris Ramsey, after picking up four points from two away games last week dimmed with this seventh successive home defeat. “I’m sick because I think we could have given the fans a big boost by getting a point against a top, talented team,” he said. “It’s horrible. This game is almost like failing your driving test, when you’re so close but you fail it. You’d like that time back. But that’s the cruel game we play in.”

Rangers are two points from a position of safety and with trips to Liverpool and Manchester City in their remaining five games desperately need to regain the home form of autumn. “We need to turn this ground back into a fortress,” said Ramsey, but their last win in Shepherd’s Bush was in 2014.

Loftus Road had a fortress feel to it, but Chelsea are not easily intimidated. Mourinho brushed aside reports that Branislav Ivanovic had been hit by an object as his players celebrated their winner with the comment: “If it is a pound, put it in your pocket; if it is a chocolate, eat it”.

Branislav Ivanovic is hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd after the goal Branislav Ivanovic is hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd after the goal  Ramsey condemned the throwing of the missile, apparently a cigarette lighter. “We don’t want any objects thrown on the pitch,” he said. “We know the hostilities between fans can sometimes go too far and if that is the case we’d like to make sure that’s not somebody who is encouraged to come back into the club.”

John Terry was unfazed by the abuse hurled in his direction. This was his first game here since being found guilty by the Football Association (though not the courts) of racist behaviour towards Anton Ferdinand. With Anton long gone and Rio Ferdinand having largely disappeared from view at QPR, Terry was spared an encounter with either brother, instead enjoying one of those physical battles he relishes with Bobby Zamora, a boyhood team-mate at the renowned Senrab club.

Didier Drogba had a rare 90-minute outing after Loïc Rémy suffered a calf strain in training. Rémy should be fit to face Manchester United next week, which will be a relief to Mourinho, given Diego Costa’s hamstring problem and how rusty Drogba looked.

From the start it was clear a swirling wind and bobbly pitch would hinder Chelsea’s passing, as did QPR’s high-tempo pressing game.

“It was difficult to create, very difficult,” said Mourinho, who did not help by omitting Oscar in favour of Ramires’ deployment as a shield in front of Fabregas and Nemanja Matic. With Eden Hazard drifting in off the left, and Willian from the right, Chelsea were very narrow. This played into the hands of a QPR team that plays three central midfielders in the midfield four.

Consequently, aside from a mishit cross by Willian that surprised Green and struck the near post after seven minutes, Chelsea struggled to threaten. Unfortunately for the spectacle, so did QPR.

There were occasional chances. Ramires put a Drogba cross over, Courtois parried Charlie Austin’s 20-yard shot and an Ivanovic cross was headed over at the far post by an unmarked Fabregas. QPR were more offensive in the second period and Courtois, besides his superb reflex stop from Phillips, also had to deny Clint Hill and Austin.

Green needed only to tip over a miscued clearance by Hill. He had been more troubled by kicking into the wind than by Chelsea and, as a draw loomed, a sliced clearance went to Hazard. The Belgian was forced wide but cut in, played a one-two with Oscar, then teed up Fabregas.

When the final whistle went a distraught Green sat on his haunches for a long time before launching the match ball angrily into the stand but, as Ramsey pointed out, he was not the only Ranger at fault.

“I’m not blaming Rob. It wasn’t one of his best kicks, but we had a long time to defend that properly and we didn’t. All that running everyone did went to waste,” said Ramsey.



=================


Guardian:

Chelsea’s Cesc Fàbregas strikes to snatch late win at numbed QPR

QPR 0 - 1 Chelsea

Dominic Fifield at Loftus Road


This is the kind of result on which fates can seem settled. Chelsea’s victorious players had gathered in front of the away support in the upper tier of the School end at the final whistle, punching the air in triumph as they celebrated the retention of a seven-point lead which has edged the Premier League title ever closer. While they rejoiced, their opponents dragged themselves from the turf in utter disbelief, the west London divide gaping wider than ever.

QPR will have been numbed by this loss, all the optimism generated by an upturn in away form and 88 minutes of industry and aggression having been undone at the last. Rob Green’s sliced clearance from hand barely stretched 20 yards outside his penalty area for Eden Hazard, of all people, to collect and dart forward. The Belgian was permitted to exchange passes with Oscar, the home defence suddenly ramshackle, before pulling back for Cesc Fàbregas to place the game’s only goal inside the post. Chris Ramsey sank to his haunches, head in hands and agony etched across his face.

The implications for his team, still two points beneath the cut-off and facing a fortnight’s hiatus in their campaign, are grim. Chelsea’s pursuit of their own more glittering prize simply seems more relentless in the aftermath of a victory chiselled from an awkward and fractious occasion.

José Mourinho admitted his team had been blessed with good fortune, prising the game’s decisive goal with their only shot on target. “I feel sorry for QPR because they worked so hard,” he said. “They didn’t let us play better and did their job very well. But every time I was a champion, I remember a couple of matches my team won in the last minute. A little light shines for the team that are going to be champions.”

Roman Abramovich, up in the stand, was peering out through designer sunglasses with the implications of the result rather than the performance enough to have dazzled.

They may actually have gained more psychologically from a narrow late success in a derby than if they had stamped some authority on the contest early on and won comfortably. Fàbregas’ reward had actually been secured two minutes from time, the Spaniard removing the protective face mask – worn after a clash with Stoke’s Charlie Adam eight days earlier which had left him with a broken nose – as he raced to the corner, pursued by joyous team-mates.

Those celebrations were interrupted as objects rained down upon them, Branislav Ivanovic struck on the neck by a cigarette lighter, with plastic bottles and coins among the other debris flung at them. “If somebody threw a pound, put the pound in your pocket and go,” Mourinho said. “If it’s a chocolate, eat it. No problem.” This was not a day to stoke further controversy; Chelsea had secured the reward that counted most of all.

They achieved their win despite being blunted, both by QPR’s eager energy and their own injury problems. Diego Costa remains hamstrung, while Loïc Rémy – formerly of these parts and a scorer of winning goals in his current team’s previous two matches – had succumbed to a “small injury” to his calf.

The hope is he will have returned to contention in time for the visit of Manchester United on Saturday, with another derby at second-placed Arsenal to follow. In that pair’s absence, Didier Drogba led the line at 37, his goal threat minimal even if the effort and commitment could never be questioned. Willian hit a post with a cross that caught in the wind, but the visitors carried little punch until Green’s slice offered relief.

QPR were not afforded the same generosity by Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian had been beaten from 65 yards against Stoke but was back to his best here, his form confirmed by an instinctive save to deny Matt Phillips as the winger shot goalwards on the turn. “I’d told Thibaut that after Hull and Charlie Adam we needed him to give us a couple of points,” said Mourinho, “and he did that.” The home side must have feared the worst when that effort was saved, Courtois having already saved twice, from Charlie Austin and Clint Hill.

The home side had offered the more coherent threat, their menace built on the tigerish industry of Sandro and Joey Barton in central midfield, but the derby had been horribly scrappy on a scarred surface which suggested stalemate. “We’ve ended up devastated,” Barton said. “We still have a number of games and feel our destiny is in our hands, and if we play like that we will be fine. But you could see what it meant to Chelsea to win that game.”

The post-match celebrations were those of champions elect. The title creeps ever closer to a return to Stamford Bridge.

Man of the match Joey Barton (QPR)


===============

Telegraph:

Cesc Fabregas's late winner at QPR steers Chelsea closer to the title

By  Matt Law


Wearing a protective mask after breaking his nose in the victory over Stoke City, Cesc Fabregas played for 87 minutes at Loftus Road like he had a restricted view.

The Spaniard’s normally superb passing was off-target, he sent a close-range header over the crossbar and got caught in possession on more than one occasion.

But then in the 88th minute, Fabregas finally got something right and it might just be the goal that put Chelsea out of reach in the Premier League title race.

Chelsea had not managed a single shot on target until Fabregas placed a first-time shot into the net from an Eden Hazard pass and maintained his team’s seven point lead over second-placed Arsenal.

Fabregas has run games for Chelsea on numerous occasions and has been one of the signings of the season, but this was not one of his vintage performances. It was, however, one of his most vital interventions.

A draw would have given in-form Arsenal hope that they could still catch Chelsea at the top, but, with a game in hand, Jose Mourinho’s men now look uncatchable.

It will only hurt Arsenal more that their slim hopes were broken by their former captain and a man Arsene Wenger passed up the chance to re-sign last summer.

Fabregas left Arsenal for Barcelona because he wanted trophies. Thanks to his goal on Sunday, the midfielder is poised to finish his first season back in England at Chelsea with a Premier League title and the Capital One Cup.

Having recovered from the forearm smash from Charlie Adam that had broken his nose a week earlier, Fabergas embodied the spirit and determination within the Chelsea squad that will get them over the line.

They were happy to scrap it out with QPR and fight fire with fire against Chris Ramsey’s physical team. Gary Cahill and John Terry put their bodies on the line time and again, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made at least three vital saves.

No wonder Ramsey sank to his knees with his head in his hands as Fabregas celebrated his winner. Despite good results against West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa, QPR remain in the bottom three and have played a game more than most of their relegation rivals.

Just as alarmingly for Ramsey is the fact QPR have now lost seven successive home games in all competitions. That trend will have to stop if the Hoops are to stage any kind of meaningful fight against going down.

QPR goalkeeper Rob Green had not had a proper save to make until he gifted Chelsea their winner with an appalling attempted clearance that fell at the feet of Hazard.

Hazard swapped passes with substitute Oscar before laying the ball on a plate for Fabregas, who celebrated by removing his mask and dodging missiles thrown from the frustrated QPR supporters.

The coins and lighters descending from the stands did not deter Fabregas and his Chelsea team-mates from celebrating like they had put one hand on the Premier League trophy at the final whistle.

Roman Abramovich watched his 700th game as Chelsea owner from the sun-bathed directors’ box in black sunglasses. It was largely a forgettable experience, but the billionaire will cherish a first title since 2010.

Mourinho will be allowed to strengthen his squad even further by Abramovich at the end of the season and a striker is likely to be on the list of Chelsea targets.

With Diego Costa injured and Loic Remy missing out with a minor calf problem sustained in training on Saturday, Chelsea had to rely on 37-year-old veteran Didier Drogba against QPR.

Drogba has not scored for Chelsea since the defeat to Newcastle United at the start of December and is finally beginning to look his age. A frustrating game for the Ivorian was summed up by a yellow card he was shown after losing possession on the edge of the QPR area.

Willian hit the post early on with a mishit cross, but, otherwise, it was QPR who created the better openings for most of the game.

Cahill was forced to make a goal-saving clearing header when a Matt Phillips cross seemed destined for the head of Steven Caulker and top scorer Charlie Austin tested Courtois with a well-struck 44th-minute shot.

Austin was inches from connecting with a Phillips cross moments after the break and Courtois was forced to make a save from Clint Hill, before the Belgian prevented QPR breaking the deadlock from their best move of the match.

Bobby Zamora drilled in a low cross from the right that found Phillips and he produced an excellent turn and shot that Courtois palmed around the post.

Chelsea’s players were quick to acknowledge the contribution of Courtois, who had more than made up for the fact he had been beaten from 60-plus yards by Adam against Stoke.

Mourinho may well have considered replacing Fabregas as he looked at ways of trying to find a winner, but the 27-year-old has made himself one of a new generation of Chelsea untouchables and landed a decisive blow of his own.



QPR (4-4-2)
 Green 5, Isla 7, Onuoha 7, Caulker 7, Hill 7, Phillips 7, Barton 7, Sandro 6, Henry 6, Zamora 7, Austin 7
Substitutes: Kranjcar (on for Sandro, 81) 6. Hoilett (on for Zamora, 83). Dunne (on for Isla, 90) 6.

CHELSEA (4-1-4-1)
 Courtois 8, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpiliceuta 7, Matic 6, Willian 7, Ramires 6, Fabregas 7, Hazard 6, Drogba 5
Substitutes: Oscar (on for Ramires, 56) 5. Cuadrado (on for Willian, 80) 6. Zouma (on for Fabregas 90) 6.

Man of the match: Thibaut Courtois.


==================


Mail:

QPR 0-1 Chelsea:

Cesc Fabregas sinks unlucky Rangers as he scores with visitors first shot on target in 88th minute to win game

By Neil Ashton


They had only one shot at it, with the masked raider wriggling clear of security in the 88th minute and making his way into the penalty area undetected.

This was the second London heist in a week, with the Loftus Road imposter easily identifiable when he whipped off his head gear in front of QPR’s stunned supporters.

Cesc Fabregas was the diamond when he worked the opening, following the carefully laid out plans of Eden Hazard and substitute Oscar to pull off this unlikely job for Chelsea. The finish called for precision.

Jose Mourinho’s team are within inches of the silverware — the Barclays Premier League crown — after this dramatic game of smash and grab.

Rob Green had been on guard throughout, but the crestfallen Rangers keeper made the mistake that allowed Chelsea to extend their lead at the top of the table again. You snooze, you lose.

It was an important victory for Mourinho, keeping Arsenal at arm’s length by recording their 22nd victory of the season in the Premier League. ‘We have been at the top throughout,’ he declared.

Where they rank among the great teams to win the title, such as the Manchester United vintages (1999 and 2009) or Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ (2004) — is of no concern to the Portuguese.

Chelsea’s manager has put together a team to win the league, grinding down the opposition until they eventually lift the trophy, probably later this month. They are relentless, we know that.

Here at Loftus Road they were met with the resistance of their noisy neighbours QPR, surviving the screams and shouts from the stands to stretch their lead over Arsenal to seven points.

They will meet at the Emirates on April 26, but Chelsea are equipped to survive the sternest and stiffest tests that domestic competition can throw at them.

Even Arsene Wenger knows a title-winning team when he sees one.

Chelsea had only one shot on target, an improbable statistic for a team that can call upon the dancing feet of Hazard, Willian, substitute Oscar and Fabregas.

Chelsea were careless in possession, knocked out of their rhythm by the boisterous presence of Karl Henry, Sandro and the bristling figure of Joey Barton strung out across the QPR midfield.

This defeat feels tough on them because anyone who can sedate Nemanja Matic and Ramires over the course of 90 minutes probably deserves a bit more. The pair were over-run in that Chelsea midfield.

Rangers have found an outlet in the willing, emerging figure of Matt Phillips down their right flank. They have to use and abuse him to stand a chance of staying up.

He looked to be their one chance of making something happen, a shuttlecock on that halfway line as he flitted in and out of Chelsea’s half. Cesar Azpilicueta will be glad to see the back of him.

So will Gary Cahill, the Chelsea defender who bravely intercepted Phillips’s dangerous first-half crosses from that cultured right boot. Phillips was a menace on that wing.

He had a massive chance to put Rangers in front at the start of the second half, denied by the anticipation of Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois when the Belgian moved to his left to turn the shot away for a corner.

When that failed, Rangers went old school, lofting balls into the box in the hope that forwards Bobby Zamora or Charlie Austin would get their head onto one of them.

Even against Chelsea captain John Terry and the commanding presence of Cahill, the agricultural approach almost worked.

Terry was hammered by QPR fans, choking on the abuse from the stands because of his exchange here with their former centre half Anton Ferdinand in October 2011.

Chelsea’s captain has learned to deal with it, but the trip to Loftus Road is possibly as poisonous as it gets for Terry. He can take his medicine.

Rangers were shooting from anywhere, with Austin’s looping effort falling neatly into Courtois’ arms from long range and later drawing a stunning save to the keeper’s right with another poke from distance.

Even Barton shanked an effort wide of Courtois’ goal when he was put clean through after the break. They gave this a right, old-fashioned go.

Loftus Road was a bear pit, with just under 20,000 Rangers crammed into this stadium to watch them match their west London rivals for blood and guts. Under manager Chris Ramsey, they have renewed their faith.

Rangers have given themselves a chance of getting out of the mess at the foot of the table after that handsome 4-1 win at West Brom earlier this month, followed by a 3-3 draw with Aston Villa.

There is a noticeable shift in mentality, pulling together as they approach the final five games — West Ham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle and Leicester — of the season. Three are winnable.

Chelsea are masters at this, calling on the pedigree of Hazard, in his 100 appearance in the Premier League, Oscar and the timing of Fabregas to secure this narrow win.

It was their first chance, the only time in this game when they properly opened up the central defensive pairing of Steven Caulker and Nedum Onuoha.

The man in the mask was there to finish the job, scoring in the league for the first time since Chelsea won 2-0 on the road at Stoke on December 22. ‘It’s like failing a driving test,’ admitted QPR’s manager.

Here at Loftus Road, Fabregas turned out to be the getaway driver.


====================


Mirror:
 
QPR 0-1 Chelsea: Late Cesc Fabregas strike keeps the Blues on course for the title

By Darren Lewis
 

The man in the mask ensures Jose Mourinho's men keep their seven point lead over Arsenal in second place

Another week, another daring heist in London.

Far from making a swift getaway, however, the architects toasted the spoils in full view of the watching nation.

With Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in the stands and the Queens Park Rangers players in despair, John Terry joined Didier Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic to punch the air in front of the 1,700 away supporters.

They all knew this was a triumph worth far more than just the three points.

Boss Jose Mourinho said later: “Every time I was champion, I remember a couple of matches my team won in the last minute. A little light that shines for the team that are going to be ­champions.”

He is right to start counting his chickens again.

The Champions elect pulled this off without star striker Diego Costa, without his deputy Loic Remy – also injured – and with Cesc Fabregas widely regarded as being nowhere near the serial thriller who ripped it up during the first half of the season.

Yet Fabregas finished as the matchwinner and Mourinho’s team were left closing in on a fifth top-flight title.

The manner of this victory was just so brutal, so cruel and so very Chelsea. Even Arsenal, who have done so well to rack up those eight wins in a row, must have been left ­frustrated. Against a spirited QPR side enjoying a revival, Chelsea were being dominated.

They did not manage a single shot on target for 88 minutes – against a team third from bottom of the table. Mourinho’s men were alarmingly sluggish, lead-footed, and looked as though they were about to leave the door ajar for a late title challenge.

Then, one shot, one goal. And Rangers were gone.

It is the second week in a row that the labouring Blues have been bailed out by a mistake from the opposing keeper. Last week it was Stoke’s Asmir Begovic whose poor clearance was seized upon by Eden Hazard who set up Remy to score. This week Hoops keeper Rob Green saw his poor kick caught in the swirling wind and seized upon by Hazard.

The Belgium winger sent Oscar down the left, Fabregas burst forward from midfield and the ball ended up in the bottom corner. With two minutes left.

QPR boss Chris Ramsey slumped to his knees with his head in his hands. His players, who had done so superbly, were left shellshocked.

In truth, they only had themselves to blame. They had their chances to finish off the league leaders and could
not do it.

To be fair, they had come up against a keeper in fantastic form in Thibaut Courtois, who somehow pulled off an incredible save to deny Matt Phillips on 63 minutes.

Courtois also kept out Charlie Austin’s screamer just before half-time.

And Phillips will regret not looking up to see Bobby Zamora unmarked in the box as he raced down the left and into a cul-de-sac deep into the second half.

The Hoops, chief among them man-of-the-match Joey Barton, simply did not deserve to be on the losing side.

They served notice here – on the back of an impressive win at Stoke and a hard-fought point at Aston Villa – that they will be a force to be reckoned with as the relegation dogfight reaches its climax.

But Chelsea simply found a way to win yet again.

It is just what Jose Mourinho teams do.


================


Express:


Masked maestro Cesc Fabregas edges Chelsea closer to title after Rob Green horror show

IT WAS brutal, it was cruel, it was utterly ruthless. It was Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea to the core.

By Tony Banks


One shot on target in the entire match, from a player who had arguably been their worst performer all afternoon, and the points were Chelsea’s.

Their lead at the top of the Premier League this morning is back to seven points, and it was hard to escape the feeling that this was the kind of ominous result that wins titles.

Cesc Fabregas wore a mask to protect his broken nose, and he will not have wanted this display to have been too visible either – until the 88th minute, when he pounced on Eden Hazard’s neat pass after Robert Green’s dreadful kick, to drill home the only goal of the game.

It was one of Chelsea’s poorest performances of the campaign, and Mourinho afterwards admitted his team were lucky. But that will not matter this morning. A win is a win.

“Yes, we were fortunate,” said Mourinho. “It was a typical 0-0 game. We controlled QPR very well, kept them far from our penalty area.

“But they were very organised and gave us a difficult match. Obviously I’m very happy because we kept good emotional control. We never lost our balance. If we had had to go home with a point, we would have. But we scored at a crucial moment.

“Every time I have won a championship, I remember a couple of games where my team won in the last minute. It is a little light that shines for the team that are going to be champions. It’s not normal for a team to be top of the league since day one. That is the team that deserves all the credit.”

Chelsea found themselves battered and hassled by a Rangers side in desperate trouble at the wrong end of the table from the start at Loftus Road – and it was an assault that never let up. Their creative players, Fabregas, Hazard and Willian, simply never got a moment’s peace. Until, crucially, those final few moments.

Chris Ramsey’s side had a lucky early escape when Willian’s cross bounced back off the near post, but chances were few and far between in a frenetic, horribly scrappy match. The most notable moment was when Charlie Austin shoved John Terry to the floor, to the joy of the crowd.

The fact that Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was probably their best player on the day said everything. The Belgian shrugged off the embarrassment of being beaten by Charlie Adam’s wonder goal last week to put in a commanding display. First he saved Austin’s 20 yard shot, and then grabbed Clint Hill’s dipping drive.

His best effort, though, was a superb twisting save to push Matt Phillips’ shot round the post after he pounced on Bobby Zamora’s cross. Had that gone in, things might have been very different.

But well though Rangers played, they simply could not find that ruthless finishing touch. And Chelsea did as they won at Loftus Road for the first time since 1996.

But Green, so often Rangers’ saviour this season, will have nightmares about the moment that cost his team so dearly. His kick out, with two minutes left and a precious point still in their grasp, was skied horribly straight to Hazard, of all people.

The Belgian dribbled to the byeline, exchanged passes with Oscar, and laid the ball back for Fabregas to slot his shot home low through a forest of legs. Green, the QPR goalkeeper, was distraught.

At the final whistle, Chelsea’s players celebrated in front of their fans, fists clenched, embracing Courtois. They knew this had been a gritted-teeth, sinews-stretched to the limit performance. And they knew what it meant. Seven games left now, and the finishing line is almost in sight.

Ramsey said: “I’m really disappointed. I’m not blaming Robert Green. It wasn’t one of his best kicks, but we had a long time after that to defend that situation properly.

“Rob is going to be down because he’s a top player. If he had not been in the form he has been, we wouldn’t be anywhere near surviving.”


QPR (4-4-2): Green 6; Isla 6 (Dunne 90 6), Caulker 6, Onouha 6, Hill 6; Phillips 7, Barton 7, Sandro 7 (Kranjcar 80 6), Henry 7; Zamora 7 (Hoilett 83 6), Austin 7.

Booked: Zamora, Sandro.

Next Up: West Ham (h) Sat April 25 PL

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 8; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Ramires 7 (Oscar 56 6), Matic 6; Willian 7 (Cuadrado 79 6), Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90 5), Hazard 6; Drogba 6.

Booked: Drogba.

Goal: Fabregas 88.

Next Up: Man Utd (h) Sat April 18 PL

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).


===============


Star:


QPR 0 Chelsea 1: Late Cesc Fabregas strike sinks relegation threatened QPR

CESC FABREGAS masked his face and Chelsea’s shortcomings today.

By David Woods, Chief Football Writer
 

His match winning strike in the 88th minute was the ONLY attempt on target by the champions elect.

The win restored their seven-point lead over second place Arsenal and broke unlucky QPR’s hearts.

The reaction at the final whistle of skipper John Terry and right-back Branislav Ivanovic, who punched the air, proved just how important victory was to them as they close in on the title.

Wearing a protective mask - after having his nose broken in a clash with Stoke’s Charlie Adam - Fabregas was more sorrow than Zorro until riding to the rescue at the end.

The midfielder had been poor all match, with sloppy passes galore as Jose Mourinho’s men struggled to adapt with Didier Drogba up front, rather than the injured Diego Costa or Loic Remy.

That he had cause to whip off his mask and dash the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of Chelsea fans was down to a howler from Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green.

His terrible clearance went up into the air but only 20 yards downfield straight to Eden Hazard.

The Belgium star had also been way off his A-game as well. But this time was sharp, alert and burst forward, cutting in from the left.

After playing a one-two with Oscar, Hazard teed up Fabregas who sidefooted low past Green, with the home defence failing to close him down.

It was cruel on relegation-threatened Rangers, whose manager Chris Ramsey sank to the ground and buried his head in his hands at the loss of a vital point in the fight against relegation.

Roman Abramovich wore sunglasses to watch his 700th game as Chelsea owner.

But there was nothing bright about his star-studded team’s performance in the west London derby.

The first half was so awful, a sleep mask from Rangers owner Tony Fernandes’ AirAsia seemed more in order.

Willian did at least hit the post in the seventh minute, with a cross which almost deceived Green.

But the most exciting moments were when Charlie Austin strong-armed John Terry to the ground in the 39th minute, then forced Thibaut Courtois into a fine save soon after.

We had to wait until the 64th minute for another serious threat on goal.

Matt Phillips turned Nemanja Matic superbly to create space, following a Bobby Zamora cross. But Courtois produced a stunning reflex stop to paw away his left-foot shot.

The winger had his head in his hands, earning himself a consoling cuddle from team-mate Sandro.

Austin then had two successive attempts at goal in a scramble, the first hitting Gary Cahill’s arm, the second straight at Courtois.

It was just the prelude to a Fab finish for Chelsea.

That sparked a furious response from some home fans who hurled a bottle and a cigarette lighter as he celebrated taking another step towards the title with his team-mates.

Ivanovic was hit on the head but will probably take it, safe in the knowledge Chelsea now need 12 points from their last seven games to be certain of the title.

Following yesterday’s fortunate win, there now looks no chance of the Blues chucking it in.

As for second-from-bottom Rangers, after a sixth straight home defeat in the league, they must now wait 12 days to play West Ham at home.

But following this gutsy display all is not lost - not just yet anyway.


QPR (4-4-2): Green 5; Isla 6 (Dunne 90), Caulker 7, Onouha 7, Hill 6; Phillips 7, Sandro 6 (Kranjcar 81), BARTON 8, Henry 6; Austin 7, Zamora 7 (Hoilett 83). Subs: McCarthy, Traore, Grego-Cox, Comley

UP NEXT: West Ham (h), Premier League, Saturday April 25

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): COURTOIS 8; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Ramires 6 (Oscar 56, 6), Matic 6; Willian 7 (Cuadrado 80), Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90), Hazard 6; Drogba 6. Subs: Cech, Luis, Mikel, Brown

UP NEXT: Manchester United (h), Premier League, Saturday

REFEREE: Andre Marriner

STAR PLAYER: JOEY BARTON Captain led by example

STAR SHOCKER: ROB GREEN Awful kick proved costly

Match rating: 1