SCREAMER ... Rafael celebrates after scoring a stunning volley
Published: 23rd February 2013
WHO needs champagne when you have a vintage red to lift your spirits?
Ryan Giggs might be pushing 40 but he showed there is still plenty of life left in the old Red Devil as he played the 999th competitive match of his career.
The veteran Welshman’s 80th-minute goal put the seal on another straightforward Manchester United victory and put him within touching distance of his 13th Premier League title.
The gap at the top of the table is now 15 points and much more of this and Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will need a telescope to keep sight of the neighbours disappearing over the horizon.
It was 13 years ago that United won the league by a record 18-point margin. The way things are going, the gap could be even wider this time.
They have now taken a stunning 41 points from their last 15 league games and it is difficult to see them losing another fixture between now and the end of the season.
SAMBA SCREAMER ... Rafael celebrates after scoring a stunning volley
Even if City beat third-placed Chelsea at the Etihad this afternoon, the best they can hope for now is to prolong the wait for their bitter rivals.
For make no mistake about it, United already have one hand on the trophy and they are not going to let it slip through their grasp again like they did last year.
Even the loss of top scorer Robin van Persie following a bizarre collision with a photographer could not put the dampener on another decent day’s work for the champions-elect.
The 23-goal Dutchman fell into the cameramen’s pit behind the goal after teeing up Rafael’s sensational 23rd-minute opener and had to come off with a sore hip.
Van Persie had drifted in behind the QPR defence after Adel Taarabt had tamely surrendered the ball deep inside his own half.
And though Julio Cesar managed to beat out the striker’s angled effort, he did not even see Rafael’s screaming follow-up as it ripped into the top corner from 30 yards.
HARRY REDKNAPP will not give up hope of QPR avoiding relegation to the Championship
Rangers boss Harry Redknapp had insisted in the build-up to this game that his team could pull off one of the biggest upsets of the season to halt the runaway leaders in their tracks.
Unfortunately for Harry, it was clear that none of his players shared that confidence as United were allowed a comfortable stroll to another three points.
But it was not just a lack of belief which condemned Rangers to this latest damaging defeat.
There was no urgency, no commitment and very little fight from a team who are looking increasingly destined for a return to the Championship.
And that is what annoys the Loftus Road punters more than their team’s position at the foot of the table.
They might be going down but at least the highly-paid players could look as though they are bothered about it.
GULF ... Feguson and Redknapp's sides are at opposite ends of the table
It was not even as though United were at their unstoppable best. Then again, they didn’t need to be.
For the first 15 minutes United were happy just to keep the ball and not give their anxious opponents any kind of encouragement.
But it soon became apparent that they had absolutely nothing to fear from a QPR side who have won just two of their 14 league games since Redknapp took charge three months ago.
And as soon as United started to turn the screw, it was simply a matter of time before Rangers cracked under pressure.
Javier Hernandez thought he had broken the deadlock with a 16th-minute header from Ashley Young’s cross but his effort was turned over at full stretch by Cesar.
But United were not to be denied and once Rafael had fired them ahead it was simply a question of how much energy they would have to expend to see off rocky Rangers.
RYAN MIGHTY ... Giggs seals the win with a tidy finish
Van Persie forced another save from Cesar with a volley before making way for Wayne Rooney, and Nemanja Vidic glanced a header wide.
The introduction of Loic Remy as a second-half sub gave the home team a brief glimmer of hope and the £8million French striker finally forced the first save of the match from United keeper David De Gea in the 65th minute.
But that simply stung United back into action and 10 minutes from time Giggs put the game to bed.
Nani’s reverse pass caught QPR appealing in vain for offside and Giggs strode on to bury a precise shot inside the far post.
He almost had another a couple of minutes later when his clever chip came back off the bar before Nani smashed the rebound over the top.
It is now almost 22 years since Giggs scored his first goal for United and, though he is no longer a regular starter, he still retains the hunger which too many of QPR’s players are sadly lacking.
United fans know they should cherish every appearance from their idol because they will never see another player like him.
QPR: Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Samba, Hill, Traore, Mbia, Granero (Jenas 46), Mackie, Taarabt, Townsend (Hoilett 72), Zamora (Remy 61). Subs not used: Green, Park, Wright-Phillips, Onuoha.
Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Giggs, Young (Valencia 67), Van Persie (Welbeck 41), Hernandez (Rooney 61). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Evans, Anderson, Cleverley.
Goals: Rafael 23, Giggs 80.
Ref: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
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Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4809588/QPR-0-2-Manchester-United-Match-report-and-pictures.html#ixzz2Lly6kVib
