LONDON – QPR cemented their position on top of the Championship with a 4-0 rout of promotion rivals Swansea at Loftus Road on Sunday.
Neil Warnock’s side made the perfect start to the frenetic festive period as two goals from Adel Taarabt and strikes from Jamie Mackie and Heidar Helguson opened up a four-point lead at the top.
Even the first half dismissal of Clint Hill, sent off along with Swansea’s Alan Tate following an off-the-ball clash, couldn’t disrupt QPR’s rhythm.
The hosts went ahead in the 16th minute as Taarabt danced past a succession of Swansea challenges before squaring the ball for Mackie, who drilled a first-time shot past Dorus de Vries to end a 15-game goal drought.
The match exploded into controversy two minutes later when Kyle Walker’s run was clumsily halted by Tate’s foul.
As players from both sides squared up, Tate and Hill got a little too heated for referee Phil Crossley’s liking and both left-backs were sent packing.
In the 62nd minute Taarabt charged into the area and drew a clumsy foul from Ashley Williams, allowing Helguson to dispatch the penalty for his eighth goal of the season.
Then Taarabt collected Helguson’s knock-down and hit a fierce drive under De Vries for the third goal in the 70th minute.
And 10 minutes later, Taarabt completed the victory with a fine solo finish.
Cardiff moved above Leeds into second place with a 2-0 home victory over play-off challengers Coventry.
Dave Jones’ side clinched their second victory in eight matches through Seyi Olofinjana’s cool first half finish and Craig Bellamy’s deflected second half effort.
Leeds slipped to third place after squandering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Sven Goran Eriksson’s Leicester at the Walkers Stadium.
Max Gradel’s header and a fine finish from Robert Snodgrass had put Simon Grayson’s men on course for all three points, before Paul Gallagher’s penalty and an Andy King strike in the space of four minutes in the second half earned a draw for the hosts.
Reading moved to within a point of the play-off places with a crushing 4-1 win at home to Bristol City.
Burnley came from behind to beat Barnsley 2-1 and ease the pressure on under-fire boss Brian Laws.
