Aguero treble condemns QPR to drop as Liverpool face Chelsea test

Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick as Manchester City sealed Queens Park Rangers' relegation from the Premier League with a 6-0 victory at Eastlands on Sunday.

The thrashing left QPR bottom of the table, nine points adrift of safety and with only a maximum of six available to the west London club from their final two league games of this season.

By contrast, victory saw deposed champions City stay second behind title-winners Chelsea and secure their place in next season's Champions League.

"We came here with a lot of hope, shot ourselves in the foot and gave away three set-pieces which they scored from," QPR manager Chris Ramsey told Sky Sports.

"On the day we didn't really turn up and they (City) are a very good team... We really feel sorry for the travelling fans," added Ramsey, who was appointed manager until the end of the season in February after former boss Harry Redknapp resigned for reasons of ill-health, with QPR already deep in trouble.

Ramsey, asked if he wanted the QPR job on a permanent basis, said: "Yes. I really do. It's a club I've taken to my heart."

Aguero's treble cemented his position as the Premier League's top scorer this season, the Argentina forward's tally for the campaign now standing at 25 goals.

"He wants to be the top scorer this season but I think it's also the way he is playing," said City manager Manuel Pellegrini. "He is working a lot more during the game, moving more and receiving more balls."

- Improbable survival mission -

Any thoughts of an improbable survival mission for QPR were dashed as early as the fourth minute when Aguero shrugged off some weak tackles before beating QPR goalkeeper Robert Green.

Aleksandar Kolarov doubled City's lead with a well-struck free-kick from the edge of the box in the 32nd minute.
City saw Aguero make it 3-0 in the 50th minute before he completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot 15 minutes later after David Silva was brought down

Aguero then turned provider to set up James Milner for City's fifth goal in the 70th minute before Silva completed the rout three minutes from time.

QPR, whose chairman is Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, will now return to the Championship following their promotion via the play-off last season.

They will be joined in the second tier by Burnley, whose relegation was confirmed on Saturday.

The third and final relegation place is currently occupied by Hull City but several other clubs are also in danger of being demoted.

Sunday's other Premier League match sees already-crowned champions Chelsea at home to Liverpool, in what will be Anfield great Steven Gerrard's final match against the Blues before he joins the LA Galaxy after the end of this season.

Fifth-placed Liverpool had to avoid defeat against Chelsea to maintain their hopes of a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made five change to his side, with 19-year-old midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek given a first start.

Loic Remy started up front in place of veteran striker Didier Drogba, with Diego Costa omitted, while Kurt Zouma, Filipe Luis and John Obi Mikel also came in for Chelsea.

Liverpool were unchanged after their win over QPR.
Source: AFP