QPR 2-3 Liverpool - Reds snatch points in thrilling finale

Bobby Zamora was outstanding for QPR on Sunday

A pretty drab encounter burst into life with the most dramatic and crazy of endings as Liverpool grabbed all three points deep into added time at Loftus Road.

Liverpool snatched a fortunate last-gasp 3-2 win at QPR following a crazy goal-filled final few minutes at Loftus Road.

Steven Caulker managed to put the ball into his own net in the final seconds of the game to deny the R's a deserved share of the spoils after they had twice come from behind inside the final stages.

The heart-breaking loss keeps Harry Redknapp's men bottom of the Premier League on four points, while Liverpool move up to fifth, level on 13 points with fourth-placed West Ham.

The R's dominated the opening half and spurned several good chances to take the lead with the first coming in the ninth minute when Charlie Austin showed some great determination to get past both Glen Johnson and then Martin Skrtel before advancing into the Liverpool area.

However Simon Mignolet rushed off his line to block Austin's first effort, before the striker hit his attempt from the rebound against the side-netting as he was stumbling to the ground.

QPR continued to bully Liverpool with Bobby Zamora at the centre of their attacking play and he almost created a goal on 28 minutes.

A strong run down the right resulted in the ball being played across the area for the onrushing Leroy Fer who somehow smashed his close-range effort off the top of the crossbar.

The R's went even closer on 34 minutes when Zamora again chipped the ball into the middle from the right and Fer's header came back off the cross bar. Austin and Sandro both tried to force home the rebound only to be denied by Johnson on the line before Skrtel completed the clearance.

Liverpool almost snatched the opening goal against the run of play just before half time when Mario Balotelli picked out Steven Gerrard inside the QPR area. And, after he switched the ball onto his right foot, the former England international captain fired his effort just wide of the far post.

QPR started the second half brightly and Sandro forced Mignolet into a fine save on 47 minutes after Dejan Lovren's clearance from a Matt Phillips right-wing cross fell perfectly for him inside the area.

Liverpool started coming into the game and should have gone in front just after the hour mark when Adam Lallana's powerful strike inside the area was parried by Alex McCarthy into the path of Balotelli who fired over with the goal at his mercy.

The Reds did go in front on 67 minutes when they caught QPR napping with a quick free kick down the right channel.

Raheem Sterling played in Balotelli and his low cross into the middle from the by-line was bundled into his own goal by Richard Dunne for the 10th own goal of his career.

The game looked to be petering out towards a narrow win for Liverpool until QPR finally got on level terms in the 87th minute.

Liverpool failed to fully clear a long free kick into their area and substitute Eduardo Vargas chipped the ball to the back post before continuing his run into the box and then coolly volleyed in Austin's knockdown from close range.

Vargas was denied a quick second moments later when Skrtel managed to hook the ball away from him in front of goal, before Liverpool went back in front in the 90th minute.

Sterling burst away through the middle and passed to Gerrard who found the run of Philippe Coutinho down the left of the QPR area. He moved the ball onto his right foot before firing into the far corner via a slight deflection off Caulker.

But back came QPR to equalise again in the second minute of stoppage time with a Fer corner from the left met by Vargas at the front post and his flick header beat Mignolet as the ball just crept over the line.

Balotelli looked to have won the game a minute later but he flicked an effort just wide, before the Reds did snatch the points seconds after the four minutes of added time had elapsed.

Sterling picked up the ball down the left side of the area and his cross was inadvertently put into his own net by Caulker who was trying to prevent Balotelli a free shot at goal.

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