Manchester United opened up a
15-point gap at the top of the
Premier League after a routine
2-0 victory over bottom club
Queens Park Rangers at Loftus
Road. A thumping strike from Rafael
gave United the lead midway
through the first half before
Ryan Giggs sealed the win 10
minutes from time against a QPR
side who rarely tested opposing goalkeeper David de Gea. Ashley Young crosses were the
chief early threat for United,
with Nani failing to connect
cleanly from one and Javier
Hernandez forcing Julio Cesar to
tip over his header from another. Sloppy play from Cesar almost
gifted United a chance on 18
minutes when his roll-out was
intercepted by Nani, but the
winger's teasing cross just eluded
the stretching Hernandez. United then took the lead on 23
minutes in spectacular fashion
when Rafael arrowed home a
brilliant 25-yard volley into the
top corner after Cesar had
beaten out Robin van Persie's cross-shot from a narrow angle. Rafael proved equally adept at
the other end as he cleared Chris
Samba's header off the line
following a corner after Andros
Townsend's shot had been
deflected wide. The visitors went straight up the
pitch, with Rafael again involved
as his wonderful cross-field pass
was cushioned towards goal by
Van Persie, but Cesar produced a
superb save down low to his left. That proved to be Van Persie's
last contribution as he was soon
replaced by Danny Welbeck due
to injury before the unmarked
Nemanja Vidic glanced Giggs' free-
kick wide five minutes before half-time. QPR's marking from crosses had
been poor in the first half and it
continued early in the second
when another Young ball in found
Nani, whose free header was
spilled by Cesar. Harry Redknapp introduced the
returning Loic Remy on the hour
mark and within five minutes the
January signing was involved as
his well-struck shot was pushed
away by De Gea. With 10 minutes to go, United put
the game to bed after the QPR
defence switched off again and
Nani slipped in Giggs to drill his
shot beyond the exposed Cesar. Giggs almost scored his second of
the game two minutes later when
his impudent looping effort
bounced back off the bar and
Nani blazed the rebound wildly
over, with QPR only offering a late Samba header in response.