Latest: QPR 0 Liverpool 1 – Reds within sight of victory at Loftus Road

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Richard Dunne’s 67th-minute own goal left bottom-of-the-table QPR staring at another defeat despite a much improved display.

They have dominated large parts of the game at Loftus Road, with Leroy Fer hitting the Liverpool bar twice in the first half.

With his position under scrutiny after a dismal start to the season, Rangers manager Harry Redknapp made major changes.

He switched to a 4-4-2 formation with Fer playing from the left, while Dunne replaced Rio Ferdinand, Mauricio Isla was deployed on the right flank, Yun Suk-Young was given a Premier League debut and Bobby Zamora started up front alongside Charlie Austin.

There was also a debut for summer signing Alex McCarthy, with the goalkeeper coming in for Rob Green, who has tonsillitis.

Redknapp called for more energy from his side and they responded early on, pressing Liverpool with an intensity that was sorely lacking in previous matches this season.

They came close to scoring when Austin bundled his way past two challenges and was denied by keeper Simon Mignolet before shooting into the side netting from an awkward angle as he tried to bury the resulting loose ball.

And an unmarked Fer missed a glorious chance when he fired against the top of the bar from 10 yards out after Zamora had pulled the ball back from the right.

Fer almost atoned when found by Zamora’s right-wing cross but after the Dutchman’s header bounced off the woodwork, Austin could not force the ball past Glen Johnson on the line and Martin Skrtel was eventually able to clear.

QPR kept up the pressure after the interval and Sandro had an effort saved by Mignolet but the Brazilian midfielder suffered another injury setback on the hour mark and limped off.

Rangers suddenly lost their way and were rescued by a fine save by McCarthy and Mario Balotelli’s poor finishing.

With the home defence under pressure, Isla inadvertently nudged the ball into Adam Lallana’s path and after McCarthy did superbly to get a hand to the midfielder’s shot, Balotelli wastefully fired over from the rebound.

But there was nothing McCarthy could do when Dunne sliced Johnson’s low cross into his own net following a quickly taken free-kick after substitute Armand Traore had been harshly adjudged to have fouled Raheem Sterling.

It was Dunne’s 10th own goal in the Premier League.

QPR (4-4-2): McCarthy; Onuoha, Dunne, Caulker, Yun; Isla (Phillips 45), Henry; Sandro, Fer; Austin, Zamora.
Subs: Murphy, Traore, Ferdinand, Kranjcar, Hoilett, Vargas.

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