Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side looked to regain their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League summit as they travelled to London rivals QPR at Loftus Road on Sunday afternoon. Following Arsenal's hard-earned 1-0 victory away at Burnley on Saturday evening, it was imperative that The Blues maintained their grip as league leaders with Arséne Wenger's men ready to pounce on any points dropped in the race for the title; which many critics have already said is over. Chris Ramsey was eagerly hoping for a good display from his side, following their enthralling 3-3 draw in midweek against Aston Villa, where they have virtually sealed their own fate in a relegation scrap.
The hosts started the game brightly, and almost fashioned a chance out of nothing within five minutes of the referee's first whistle. Matt Phillips drove past his marker on the flank before attempting to fizz a teasing ball into the area for a team-mate to latch onto, but the danger was averted as Thibaut Courtois comfortably smothered the effort and eased the pressure on his goal.
Willian saw a deflected cross cannon off the post as Robert Green scrambled to his near post to try and parry the delivery away, in Chelsea's first notable action of the game after a corner-kick was partially cleared away. Just two minutes later, Courtois was called into the thick of things again, this time to deny an oncoming run from Charlie Austin, who had been set through with a neat pass to feet by Bobby Zamora on the counter attack for Queen's Park Rangers. The 22-year-old Belgian was quick off his line and did well to deny the in-form Englishman, who has scored 17 goals in the Premier League already this season, from adding another to his tally.
In the 19th minute, a teasing ball was crossed into the box by Phillips towards English centre-back Steven Caulker, who towered about Branislav Ivanovic but was unable to head goalwards. Chelsea eventually hoofed the ball clear, and the danger was averted once more.
On the stroke of half-time, QPR came inches to breaking the deadlock, but for a great save from Courtois. A long ball upfield was fed into the path of Zamora, whose flick on found Austin. The 25-year-old striker instinctively struck his effort from range towards goal, and his swerving shot was parried away by Chelsea's number one goalkeeper.
As the second-half began, the hosts picked up from where they left off in the first 45. Phillips got the better of Cesar Azpilicueta on the flank, before firing a teasing ball into the box for a team-mate to connect with, but no-one was there in time for the clinical touch to send it past Courtois. Instead, the ball fired inches wide of Courtois' far post, with the home supporters encouraging their team to increase the tempo of the game in search of the opener.
In the 51st minute, Courtois made yet another stop, this time a catch from Clint Hill's ambitious curling effort on the edge of the area. QPR were on the front foot, and Chelsea could only sit back and hope they didn't take one of their chances - with Thibaut staying strong in between the goalposts.
Courtois made another fantastic save to deny Phillips from close range; this time he span past his marker inside the box before unleashing an effort goalwards, but Thibaut made a quick dive to his left to parry the shot behind for a corner-kick. It was at that moment QPR players were wondering, what they needed to do to beat Courtois, who was eager to keep his clean sheet.
A goalmouth scramble soon after the 80th minute was comfortably smothered again by the Belgian 'keeper, in fine form, to deny the hosts from opening the scoring as the clock ticked down.
The clock moved into the 87th minute with both sides still level at 0-0, where a rather limp boot outfield by QPR's goalkeeper Green fell into the path of Hazard, who weaved past the Rangers backline before exchanging a neat one-two with Nemanja Matic on the edge of the area, where he spotted the run of Cesc Fabregas towards the box. He unselfishly squared the ball into the Spaniard's feet, where the former Arsenal and Barcelona man sidefooted the ball beyond Green into the bottom corner of the net.
Chelsea's celebrations summed it all up. They knew they didn't exactly warrant taking all three points, but picked their moments to get forward and hit QPR on the counter attack to devastating effect, in the dying minutes of the match with virtually no time for Rangers to level the scoring.
After that result, Chelsea move seven points clear of Arsenal at the top, with a game in hand against Leicester City still to play. Chris Ramsey was simply despondent on the touchline as soon as he saw Fabregas' goal go in, he knew his side deserved more out of the game - which they frankly performed better than The Blues in the end.
Player Ratings:
| QPR (0) | Chelsea (1) | ||
 |  |  |  |
| Green | 5 | Courtois | 8 |
| Caulker | 7 | Ivanovic | 6 |
| Caulker | 7 | Cahill | 7 |
| Hill | 6 | Terry | 7 |
| Isla | 5.5 | Azpilicueta | 5.5 |
| Barton | 6 | Matic | 7 |
| Sandro | 6 | Ramires | 5 |
| Henry | 6 | Willian | 6 |
| Phillips | 7.5 | Hazard | 7 |
| Zamora | 5 | Fábregas | 7 |
| Austin | 6 | Drogba | 6 |
| Substitutes: | |||
| Krancjar | - | Oscar | 7 |
| Hoilett | - | Cuadrado | 6 |
| Dunne | - | Zouma | - |