- 77'
A nasty collision in midfield after Evans nicked the ball off Traore. The QPR man still down.
- 76'
Smalling crosses from the right and Hernandez rises before Gabbidon nods behind for a corner.
- 75'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Clint Hill replaces Bothroyd, who is limping.
- 74'
As I say that Taraabt turns in the box and turns in a great ball for DJ Campbell, who misses from six yards out with the goal gaping.
- 73'
QPR not giving up though, still battling for every ball, just struggling a little with fatigue.
- 72'
The game winding down a little now.
- 71'
Hernandez nearly sprung through but he is flagged offside.
- 69'
Poor pass from Rooney as Jones burst into the area alongside him. With the right final pass and more clinical finishing United could have had seven or eight.
- 68'
Jones hits the post! Lovely touch from Nani and he goes for a curler than beats Cerny and cannons back off the upright. And he's in my fantasy team. Oh the humanity...
- 67'
Evra done again by Mackie - its been like taking candy from a baby. The defender does get back to concede a corner though.
- 66'
The game needs a QPR to inject a bit more intensity back in - the home side have dropped off since the goal.
- 65'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Double change for QPR as DJ Campbell and Adel Taraabt replace Helgusson and SWP.
- 64'
Evans has hit the post now! Corner is floated back in and his nod beats Cerny but bounces to safety off the upright.
- 63'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Welbeck trots off after that effort and Hernandez is on, a lot sooner than expected after that nasty injury at Villa.
- 63'
A lovely touch from Rooney to send Welbeck away, he cuts in and curls a shot to the top corner but Cerny makes a great save. Excellent football.
- 62'
If you are a Man UTd fan, our <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables/live/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league?cc=5739" target="_blank">live Premier League table</a> will make pleasant reading.
- 61'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Jones gets carded for a clip on Bothroyd.
- 60'
QPR have only scored six goals at home this season - the worst record in England.
- 59'
From the corner Valencia goes short, drives it across the box and Evans' touch takes it to the back post where Rooney fails to squeeze it home.
- 58'
Valencia wins a corner after a lovely piece of trickery in the box.
- 57'
All of a sudden SWP is free on the edge of the box but he feeds it wide to Mackie who just passes it into De Gea's arms. Awful.
- 56'
Barton gave it right to Carrick and the midfielder just ran to the edge of the box and fired home from the edge of the area. Cerny will be disappointed not to keep it out.
- 56'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Carrick punishes Barton's mistake!
- 54'
Welbeck tries to knock the ball past Gabbidon and charge on but the defender sticks with him and brushes him aside. United want a free kick, nothing doing.
- 53'
This game cannot remain 1-0 for much longer. Something has got to give.
- 51'
United then break but Welbeck mis-hits a pass to Jones when it was a simple one. You wonder if they will pay for all these wasted opportunities.
- 50'
Evra is really struggling out there as Mackie gets his cross in but it is blocked in the middle by Ferdinand.
- 49'
A better ball into the box from Barton but United defend it well. A good start to the second half.
- 48'
More chances for United, Rooney gets into the area but his shot is blocked, then Nani mugs Faurlin but delays his cross again. It's like waiting for a bus with this lot.
- 47'
That chance came about because Gabbidon was late returning for the second half! He had to stand on the touchline and watch Valencia spring Rooney away. Schoolboy error.
- 46'
An early chance for Rooney again as we restart, he gets into the area and turns but can only fire right at Cerny.
It's a bumper afternoon of action don't forget, Aston Villa take on Liverpool immediately after this game, then Spurs play Sunderland at 3pm, then to top it off Man City face Arsenal at 4pm.
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/1218/waynerooneycelebvqpr_275x155.jpg"><br>Wayne Rooney celebrates his opening goal
- 45'
<b>HALF TIME</b> A superb half of football, choc full of incident and intrigue. United should have racked up two or three while QPR should have found the net at least once too. As it is. Rooney's goal after 52 seconds separates the teams.
- 44'
Superb pressure from QPR as Barton finds Bothroyd and he lashes a ball right across the face of goal but Mackie can't prod it home. Excellent football.
- 43'
This time Luke Young turns in an awful cross when he had time and space to ensure it was a sparkler. Frustrating.
- 42'
A poor pass from SWP as space opened up for Mackie. Carrick gets back and concedes a corner.
- 41'
Fergie does not look happy on the bench - he knows his side could be out of sight.
- 40'
Barton dinks a ball into the box and Bothroyd is penalised for a foul on Ferdinand as Helgusson put his flick on wide.
- 39'
Welbeck hesitates again - a symptom of United's half. Nani and Rooney are aghast as he waits for another touch before losing possession inside the area.
- 38'
Evra is having a bit of a nightmare - this time SWP gets past him easily. United regroup and break but Valencia's cross is blocked.
- 37'
Already 18 attempts on goal in 37 minutes.
- 36'
Can't quite believe we've still only had one goal.
- 34'
A poor cross from Helgusson as Bothroyd fed him.
- 33'
More chances! Traore crosses from the left, the ball is cleared to Bothroyd on the box edge but he drags a volley wide.
- 33'
QPR fire up the other end and Helgusson forces De Gea into a save with his legs from a deflected shot. End to end stuff.
- 32'
Now QPR clear a Evans header off the line! The rebound finds Rooney but he can't flick it home.
- 31'
Superb save from Cerny! Nani gets past Young and crosses, Gabbidon blocks Rooney's shot and from Valencia's follow up the keeper sticks up a hand and diverts the ball over the bar. Brilliant.
- 30'
That should have been 2-0 and with his recent goalscoring form you'd have backed Jones to nail it.
- 29'
Cerny redeems himself after Rooney springs Jones clean through, he tries to pick his spot but the goalkeeper's leg takes it behind.
- 28'
Evans hits the bar! Cerny comes for Nani's corner and doesn't get it and from about four yards, Evans nods againt the crossbar.
- 27'
Good football from United but Nani again refusing to put the ball in the box first time. He dithers, but does win a corner.
- 26'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Gabbidon booked for a lunge on Valencia.
- 24'
Another good spell of United pressure as they keep the ball well.
- 23'
Welbeck has the ball in the net but he's been flagged offside from Rooney's pass. Tight but probably the right call.
- 22'
Jones gets stars in his eyes and has a go on goal from a tight angle with the ball coming across him. Rooney not happy as it flies well wide.
- 21'
Rooney getting roundly booed by the home crowd for staying down after a thumping tackle from Connolly. Bit harsh.
- 20'
Its all a bit tight for QPR as they try and play football on their tiny little pitch. Ball changing hands plenty of times.
- 19'
Evra brings down Bothroyd as he turned and prepared to charge down towards the area. Lucky not to get booked Evra.
- 18'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Rio Ferdinand is booked for charging 30 yards to argue with Howard Webb about the Rooney challenge.
- 16'
Great chance for QPR as MAckie again gets past Evra with ease, he squares it to Bothroyd who blazes over from 16 yards. United not happy as Rooney was tackled strongly by Connolly and stayed down.
- 15'
Rooney really looks in the mood this afternoon, funny how he goes through these hot and cold patches.
- 14'
Great move from United as Rooney slides a pass through a QPR defender's legs for Carrick but Gabbidon gets a touch to turn it behind before the midfielder can shoot.
- 13'
Great battling from Smalling to get the better of SWP twice.
- 12'
Lionel Messi has just scored a fourth for Barcelona in the Club World Cup Final against Santos.
- 11'
Mackie does well to get past Evra but his cross is poor. Shame, as there were four in support.
- 10'
With Helgusson and Bothroyd up front QPR are keen to pepper the box with crosses, Rio Ferdinand heads clear the latest one.
- 9'
Decent game so far this. QPR set up to have a go at United, the loss of an early goal a big blow to their gameplan though.
- 8'
Nani makes a mug of Traore by sliding the ball past him and heading into the area but then delays his shot in favour of an extra touch and a cross and the chance is lost. Corner.
- 7'
Troare wins another QPR corner as the home side battle back.
- 6'
Barton's corner finds Helgusson unmarked but he nods wide.
- 5'
A rare break from QPR as SWP cuts in and fires a shot over the bar.
- 4'
The other thing that goal has done is quieten down the home support, who can create a right racket if they want to.
- 3'
Now Cerny has to rush out to deny Welbeck after Rooney fed him. Fair to say United are rampant in the early stages.
- 2'
An uphill task just got a little more steep. Poor defending from QPR and Rooney looks like he might have squeezed that into the net via head and shoulder.
- 1'
Well, that was easy, Rooney feeds Valencia down the right and then meets the return cross to nod into the corner of the net.
- 1'
<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Rooney!
- 1'
<b>KICK OFF</b>
Man Utd can go top, and QPR can move into 11th with a win. Follow all the movements with <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables/live/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league?cc=5739" target="_blank">our live Premier League table here</a>.
Chelsea were beaten by QPR here, and Man City were made to work extremely hard for a 3-2 victory so this will be a decent test for Fergie's men, especially with confidence still a little brittle after their Champions League exit.
A rare thing for Man Utd - an unchanged team. The XI that thrashed Wolves is trusted again.
QPR make two changes, with fit-again defender Matthew Connolly handed his first start for almost four months and Heidar Helguson recalled in attack.
Afternoon all - welcome to a busy day of live coverage on Soccernet, kicking off with Manchester United's trip to Loftus Road to play QPR. The visitors can go top of the Premier League with a win.
Man CityManchester City
