QPR had led through Jay Bothroyd’s first-half effort, only for Edin Dzeko and David Silva to turn the contest on its head either side of half-time.

Bothroyd brought the hosts level again but City weren’t to be denied as Toure finished off Aleksandar Kolarov’s excellent cross.

Barton met Faurlin’s cross with a first-time effort that did not go that far over the bar and not long afterwards, QPR drew level.

City players chased down the linesman in fury at what they felt was a clear offside as Helguson’s header struck Bothroyd on the back virtually on the goal-line and bounced in.

What they had failed to recognise was that Kolarov, backpedalling furiously, was playing Bothroyd on before tumbling over the dead-ball line.

Old City sides might have capitulated. This one merely shrugged its shoulders and scored again as Kolarov picked out a previously quiet Yaya Toure, who thundered home the header.

On as a substitute only a couple of minutes previously, Mario Balotelli quickly picked up a yellow card for diving.

Helguson came agonisingly close to equalising once more when his header from Barton’s cross came crashing back off the bar.