QPR stay bottom after late Arteta winner

Arsenal 1 QPR 0

Mikel Arteta’s late winner denied 10-man QPR a point which would have lifted them off the bottom of the table.

Rangers, without a league win this season, were on course to secure a draw before Stephane Mbia was red-carded for retaliating to an 80th-minute challenge from Thomas Vermaelen by kicking out at the Arsenal defender.

And three minutes later, Arteta bundled home the loose ball at the second attempt after Julio Cesar had spectacularly parried Olivier Giroud’s header.

The Gunners dominated much of the game and went close in the first half when Aaron Ramsey’s looping header from Bacary Sagna’s right-wing cross hit the top of the bar.

Rangers survived another scare after Jack Wilshere’s long-range shot was fumbled by Cesar.

QPR had the ball in the net early in the second period but Junior Hoilett was in an offside position when he chipped keeper Vito Mannone after being set up by Esteban Granero.

Santi Cazorla then missed a golden chance for Arsenal, blazing over from near the penalty spot, before Cesar produced a stunning reaction save after Jamie Mackie’s clearance ricocheted off R’s defender Nedum Onuoha.

Following Mbia’s dismissal, Cesar pulled off another fine save to deny Giroud but in the scramble that followed, Arteta first headed against the bar and then netted from two yards out.

Yet Rangers almost hit back through Mackie, who bulldozed his way past three defenders only to then shoot straight at Mannone.

QPR (4-4-1-1): Cesar; Bosingwa, Mbia, Nelsen, Traore (Onuoha 73); Wright-Phillips (Mackie 79), Granero, Diakite, Taarabt; Hoilett, Zamora (Cisse 73). 
Subs not used: Ferdinand, Ephraim, Faurlin.

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