LONDON: Yaya Toure headed in a 74th-minute winner as Manchester City beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 to maintain its five-point lead in the Premier League.
City made a poor start and went behind in the 28th minute when Jay Bothroyd headed in Joey Barton’s free kick from the right.
Edin Dzeko equalized two minutes before halftime with his 10th goal of the season and City took the lead in the 52nd when the in-form David Silva finished precisely from eight yards (meters).
QPR rallied again when Heidar Helguson diverted Bothroyd’s header past goalkeeper Joe Hart in the 69th, but the London side was denied a point when Toure powerfully headed in Aleksandar Kolarov’s cross.
Helguson hit the woodwork late on for QPR, which stayed 12th in the standings.
City has now racked up 39 goals in 11 games, dropped only two points all season and look like serious contenders for the title.
City old boys Shaun Wright-Phillips and Barton were prominent as QPR put their opponents on the back foot, Helguson turning Barton’s corner back across goal just out of Anton Ferdinand’s reach and goalkeeper Joe Hart parried a Jamie Mackie’s shot away as City struggled to cope without the suspended Vincent Kompany.
Barton sent a free kick into the visitors’ box and Bothroyd climbed highest in a crowd to send a firm header into the bottom corner and put City behind for the first time this season.
But the lead lasted only 15 minutes as Dzeko collected a pass by James Milner and evaded Anton Ferdinand before shooting low into the bottom corner for his 10th league goal of the season, just one fewer than Arsenal striker Robin van Persie’s leading tally.
Silva put City ahead for the first time seven minutes into the second half, taking a pass from Dzeko.
Helguson equalized from close range, inadvertently touching in Bothroyd’s goal-bound header, but Toure clinched a win that took City to 31 points. (Agencies)