First hosted third in the Championship's early kickoff Saturday as Queens Park Rangers took on Leicester City at Loftus Road.
QPR were unbeaten at home until today as Leicester came to West London and left with the points thanks to Jamie Vardy's well-taken 41st-minute goal.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
11.46amMorning all! The first game in England on the last Saturday before Christmas comes from Loftus Road as Queens Park Rangers welcome Leicester City to West London. Team news is in and coming right up...
11.47amQPR XI: Green; Simpson, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto; Carroll, Barton, O’Neil; Kranjcar, Phillips; Austin
11.48amQPR SUBS: Murphy; Traore, Onuoha, Jenas, Henry, Hoilett, Benayoun
11.49amLEICESTER XI: Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky; Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer; Nugent, Vardy
11.50amLEICESTER SUBS: Hammond; King, Schlupp, Taylor-Fletcher, Miquel, Logan, Wasilewski
11.52amQPR's 4-2-3-1 formation comes up against a traditional 4-4-2 from the visiting Foxes then. Rangers make one change from last week's victory at Blackpool as Niko Kranjcar gets the nod ahead of Jermaine Jenas. Leicester, meanwhile, go with the same XI that managed a draw against fellow high-flyers Burnley last week.
11.54amThe home side are likely to be feeling a little fresher today as Leicester were in action midweek against Premier League giants Manchester City in the Capital One Cup. The Foxes fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manuel Pellegrini's side and it may have taken a little out of them.
11.57amThe form books certainly suggest that a home win is on the cards today. QPR have the best home record in the whole Football League while Leicester are winless in December having picked up just one point from their last three games.
12pmHOWEVER, if the Foxes manage to end Rangers' unbeaten home run by two goals or more, they will go back to the top of the Championship. Click here to see how the table looks ahead of today's full 12-game schedule in the second tier.
12.03pmJust a quick aside, there's an early Premier League kickoff as well and you should open this link in a new tab to follow our live updates on Liverpool vs. Cardiff. Cheers.
12.05pmPREDICTION TIME! Ten minutes until we get underway at a wet and windy Loftus Road. I have to say that I fancy the home side today but I think it will be close. QPR have been ever so solid this season but not particularly spectacular, and with conditions as they are it could be a tight match. 1-0 or 2-1 to the hosts.
12.08pmQPR have just Instagrammed a photo showing the wetness:
12.11pmLeicester boss Nigel Pearson tells Sky Sports News that it's been a difficult week of fixtures. No doubt about that. They've had to face their two biggest promotion challengers in the league either side of a visit from the giants of Manchester City!
12.13pmREFEREE WATCH: The man in charge today is Paul Tierney.
12.14pmThe two sides are out and we're just about ready to go at Loftus Road. QPR are in their blue and white hoops while Leicester don their questionable all-grey away kit.
0 minKICKOFF! The home side get us underway.
2 minIt's been a really good start by Leicester and they have a free kick close to the edge of the area as Vardy sprints at the home defence and is brought down by Hill's clumsy tackle. If that was later in the game it would have been a booking.
3 minLeft-footer Knockaert takes it on and gets it up and over the wall but not down quick enough to trouble Green in goal.
4 minQPR go up the other end and have their first shot as Kranjcar tees it up for Carroll, who is slightly on the stretch and slices it well wide.
7 minCHANCE! Clearest opening of the early stages falls to QPR as Simpson and Phillips work the ball nicely down the right before the latter squares it for the late run of O'Neil. The former West Ham and Portsmouth man gets it on target but it's a tame effort from the edge of the area that Schmeichel easily saves.
9 minSAVE! Kranjcar has scored some belters in his time and he almost adds another to the list with a dipping 25-yarder that Schmeichel beats away. Really good save as that ball was moving all over the place.
11 minComedy scenes on the pitch as a squirrel refuses to leave the pitch despite being chased around by Barton. The crowd are loving it and chanting "SQUIRREL, SQUIRREL!"
12 min
12 - Delay in the game for a squirrel, yes a squirrel, on the pitch. Joey Barton looking to shepherd it out of play! #LCFCLive
— Leicester City (@OfficialFOXES) December 21, 2013
13 minThis is really odd. QPR have a corner but the referee won't restart the game until the squirrel has been removed, but NO-ONE seems to want to go and move the little fella!
15 minWe're still waiting! Nugent just chased the squirrel off the pitch but it then came back on. The crowd are half-frustrated, half loving the opportunity for some new chants. "There's only one squirrel" the latest one.
16 minThe squirrel finally runs off past the corner flag allowing Assou-Ekotto to swing over the corner which Hill forces goalwards but it is hoofed away in front of goal by Drinkwater.
18 minKranjcar clips Dyer's heels on the left wing to present Leicester with a free-kick chance to cross it in. Drinkwater's delivery is a dangerous one but Green comes out to punch away.
21 minKranjcar nips inside his man left of centre and looks for the far corner with a curler that never looked like coming round enough to get inside the post.
24 minBOOKING! Nasty two-footed, off-the-ground challenge from O'Neil on Knockaert that rightly earns the Rangers man a booking. Could have easily seen red for that.
26 minI know you've all been waiting for it...
Here's David Nugent chasing a squirrel off the pitch at Loftus Road! (via @StringerSport) pic.twitter.com/7uZ75E01KU
— Oddschanger (@Oddschanger) December 21, 2013
27 minQuick counter-attack from Leicester as Vardy streaks down the left. He has both Nugent and Knockaert in the middle but finds QPR defender Hill who slices clear.
30 minCLOSE! A save, clearance off the line and another save inside 10 seconds as QPR come so close to breaking the deadlock. First, Austin was played in for a one-on-one chance that Schmeichel came out and saved but the ball fell to Kranjcar about 25 yards out. The Croatian side-footed goalwards but Morgan had got back to clear off the line, with the ball dropping to Phillips, whose volley was briliantly tipped around the post by Schmeichel.
30 minJUST WIDE! From the resulting corner, Hill gets up at the back post and heads it just wide with a powerful, downward header.
32 minThere's a little break in play as referee Tierney calls QPR captain Hill over for a chat to calm some simmering tempers on the field.
33 minDyer is one of the quickest players in the division and his pace gets him past Carroll on the left wing. He produces a fine low cross into the 'corridor of uncertainty' but unfortunately for him, neither Nugent or Vardy were on the same hymn sheet.
35 minKranjcar manages to maintain possession after a tackle from Drinkwater and squeezes off a low shot that Schmeichel watches past his far post. We've still probably got about 15 minutes left in this first half because of our friend the squirrel.
37 min
ACTION SHOT: @phillips_matty hits the deck following a foul from @OfficialFOXES defender Paul Konchesky #QPRvLEI pic.twitter.com/KakTxKnQRU
— QPR FC (@OfficialQPR) December 21, 2013
41 minGOAL! QPR 0-1 LEICESTER (VARDY)
41 minOut of nowhere, Leicester lead. It's a fine goal from Vardy as he collects Nugent's flick-on and guides the ball onto his right foot before smashing it low into the corner. Superb finish.
43 minAs QPR have been so strong at home this season, if they lose today they can basically blame it on the squirrel. Right?
45 minAs predicted, FIVE added minutes at the end of the first half because of Mr Squirrel.
45+1 minCHANCE! Golden opportunity for Rangers to equalise as Kranjcar feeds Austin who in turn plays in Phillips. The winger could take it on first time but tries to steady himself and takes a heavy touch before lifting over the bar with Schmeichel right in front of him.
45+3 minDear oh dear. Teammates Assou-Ekotto and Austin have a spat on the pitch after the latter wasn't happy with the former's cross.
45+5 minHALF-TIME: QPR 0-1 LEICESTER
1.07pm
HT: #QPR 0-1 #LCFC. A five-minute squirrel delay, teammates falling out and a lovely route-one goal. Go on the #Championship.
— Pascal Lemesre (@_PascalDL) December 21, 2013
1.08pmYep, that's me. Gimme a follow.
1.10pmUPDATE: Liverpool have just gone in front against Cardiff in the top flight. No prizes for guessing who scored for the Reds.
1.14pmIf you're just joining us and want a quick recap of the opening 45, read our half-time report here.
1.18pmGreat finish!
PHOTO: @vardy7 fires #lcfc in front against @OfficialQPR at Loftus Road. @SkyBetChamp @Neil_PlumbImage pic.twitter.com/41CfmphSUu
— Leicester City (@OfficialFOXES) December 21, 2013
1.20pmLooking at the stats, they heavily favour the losing side QPR, who have had 59% possession and 13 shots to Leicester's two.
46 minKICKOFF! We're back underway at Loftus Road, where Redknapp has made a half-time change by bringing on Junior Hoilett for O'Neil. Definitely a sign of attacking intent.
47 minMISS! Huge chance for Leicester to make it two as Green's poor clearance is collected by Nugent who plays in Dyer. The winger just has Green to beat from inside the area but drags his shot horribly wide. Stinker.
48 minQPR on Twitter: "17,713 (1,713 @OfficialFOXES fans) here this afternoon #QPRvLEI"
50 minBarton dinks a great ball into Phillips, whose sharp turn of direction allows him the chance to get the cross in but it's just about cleared by Moore.
51 minCLOSE! Almost a fortuitous equaliser for the hosts as Barton's speculative 30-yard drive loops up off the head of Morgan and dips just past the post with Schmeichel very concerned.
1.32pmUPDATE: It's half time at Anfield and Liverpool are now 3-0 up against Cardiff. Suarez has scored two and assisted the other for Raheem Sterling. If you haven't go the Uruguayan in your fantasy team, like me, it's just awful!
57 minPhillips delivers a dangerous cross from the right wing that just hits Morgan in the middle. Austin was lurking nearby but the Leicester man managed to dig it out of danger in time.
61 minWe're into the final half an hour now and Leicester continue to more than hold their own. Is QPR's unbeaten home record going to end today?
63 minHUGE shot for a penalty from the home fans as Moore appears to trip Phillips on the right of the box. Tierney isn't interested and replays show that there was very little contact and Phillips lost his balance more than anything.
66 minBOOKING! James is cautioned for a nasty, nasty tackle on Simpson.
67 minBOOKING! Assou-Ekotto is next to be shown yellow for shoving Vardy to the ground.
69 minSUBS: Both teams make a change as Gary Taylor-Fletcher replaces goalscorer Vardy for the visitors before Yossi Benayoun comes on for Carroll for QPR.
70 minNugent tests Green with a low shot from the edge of the area after Taylor-Fletcher had stolen the ball from Barton.
74 minGood, deep cross from Simpson that Austin heads back into the six-yard box. There's three hooped shirts in there but Morgan is the one who gets a vital touch on the ball as Leicester survive.
76 minOFF THE BAR! So close for Leicester as James's 25-yard smack takes a deflection off Dunne and beats Green but slaps against the face off the crossbar. The QPR goalie thought he was beaten.
77 minLEICESTER SUB: Nugent's afternoon comes to an end as Pearson throws on the energetic Schlupp to harrass the home side.
78 minRangers appeal for another penalty as Hoilett tricks his way into the area before falling easily under the challenge of De Laet. It could have been given but would have been ever so soft.
81 minTEN TO GO! Not long left for Rangers to preserve their unbeaten home record. Redknapp has one change left to make but there's little to inspire on the bench from an attacking sense, with Jermaine Jenas the most forward-thinking player.
82 minLEICESTER SUB: Final change for the visitors as Marcin Wasilewski is sent on to provide a more physical presence at the back instead of De Laet.
84 minOFF! Barton is sent off for QPR!
84 minThe controversial midfielder gets his marching orders for arguing back to the referee moments after he had been booked for a flailing arm on Taylor-Fletcher. Not making it any easier for his side.
89 minSAVE! Despite being a man light, QPR are still the side doing the majority of the attacking. Austin has just threatened with a low shot to the near post that Schmeichel held on to.
90 minTHREE added minutes at Loftus Road. Rangers are understandably throwing everything forward but it really wouldn't surprise me if Leicester nicked one on the break.
90+3 minAfter some brilliant Leicester defending, QPR again appeal for a penalty as Benayoun runs into the back of Wasilewski. Never going to be given.
90+4 minFULL-TIME: QPR 0-1 LEICESTER
2.10pmThat's a huge win for Leicester as they end their run of three games without a win by inflicting a first home defeat of the season on QPR. Austin had a late opportunity but couldn't get the ball under control to shoot.
2.13pmOne more goal would have been enough for Leicester to go top of the table but instead they join QPR on 42 points but remain second because of their inferior goal difference. Click here for the latest full table.
2.15pmAnyway, that's all we've got time for here. As it's a Saturday, there's tons of live action on Sports Mole this afternoon. Our feature 3pm game in the Championship is between Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest. Live coverage of the game at St Andrew's will be on site from 2.30pm.
