Half-time: QPR 0 Arsenal 0

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QPR made life difficult for Arsenal during a disjointed first half at Loftus Road.

But the home side were forced to make a defensive change shortly before the break when Clint Hill replaced Nedum Onuoha, who went off following a clash of heads with team-mate Steven Caulker.

Charlie Austin saw two efforts saved by David Ospina, first when his long-range strike was pushed away and then when he fired straight at the Gunners keeper after being found by Bobby Zamora’s lay-off.

At the other end, Rob Green denied Olivier Giroud after the Frenchman had been set up by Alexis Sanchez.

Rangers, without the suspended Joey Barton, brought Sandro and Onouha back in after injury.

With Rio Ferdinand struggling with an illness, Onuoha was deployed at centre-back and teenager Darnell Furlong kept his place at right-back.

Furlong, who made his senior debut in the recent defeat at Hull, has done well so far.

The 19-year-old served up a driven right-wing delivery that was nervously punched away by Ospina and a cross-field ball to Matt Phillips, whose cross also caused Ospina problems.

As Arsenal continued to stutter, Austin was given time and space to gather another Zamora lay-off before sending a right-footed shot narrowly wide of the near post from just outside the penalty area.

QPR: Green, Furlong, Onuoha, Caulker, Yun, Phillips, Sandro, Henry, Hoilett, Zamora, Austin.
Subs: McCarthy, Hill, Wright-Phillips, Isla, Kranjcar, Vargas, Zarate.

 

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