QPR had England striker Les Ferdinand and Simon Barker sensationally sent off in an explosive last 13 minutes as Jan Molby's penalty gave Liverpool victory on a stormy night at Anfield.
The Londoners had survived a string of second-half penalty appeals but referee Vic Callow's tolerance finally ran out after 77 minutes when Barker blatantly pulled Jamie Redknapp back in the area. A linesman drew Mr Callow's attention to something in the angry scenes which followed and Barker was shown the red card.
Danish international Jan Molby stepped up to calmly convert the penalty which proved the winner for Liverpool.
Worse was to follow for Rangers four minutes later when Ferdinand, who was booked in the first half, was sent off for a second bookable offence after kicking the ball away in frustration after being caught offside. The big striker reacted furiously and had to be pulled away from the referee by the combined efforts of Liverpool and QPR players. His manager Gerry Francis finally led him from the pitch.
The game was played in atrocious conditions with a vicious swirling wind and driving rain.
QPR took the lead after 10 minutes when Bruce Grobbelaar's weak clearance went straight to Ferdinand. Mark Wright's attempted slide tackle missed completely and the striker had time to curl a measured shot round the 'keeper and just inside the post.
John Barnes scored the equaliser after 25 minutes with a perfectly placed first-time shot from Steve McManaman's cross after Clive Wilson's clearance had rebounded off Robbie Fowler. It was Barnes' first goal of an injury-hit season and the winger was to limp out of the action once again to be replaced by Steve Nicol after 73 minutes.
Ian Rush put Liverpool ahead after 32 minutes. His shot from McManaman's cross was only half-hit but the wet ball somehow squirmed through 'keeper Jan Stejskal's hands and into the net.
Rangers caught Liverpool's defence napping less than a minute into the second half, Andrew Impey skipping round Steve Harkness to cross for Barker who side-footed the ball home. Rangers boss Gerry Francis will not punish his England striker any further. Francis said: "Obviously I didn't want to see his reaction. It is not something you want to see but if it is genuine what he said about not hearing the whistle I can understand him being a bit frustrated."
He said he had never seen Ferdinand react so angrily before and added: "He is not that type of person. Obviously he genuinely felt the referee had made a mistake. Les is absolutely adamant he did not hear the whistle and he struck the ball over the top. He was more than frustrated to find he was then going to be sent-off. I can understand it the other way round - if we had been 3-2 up with seven minutes to go. I spoke to the referee afterwards and he felt he had to interpret the laws of the game about kicking the ball away."
Liverpool boss Graeme Souness declined to comment on the controversial incidents but said: "That for me was our best performance of the season in what were extremely difficult conditions. If you are a Liverpool supporter you have gone away happy tonight because you have seen your team get a victory and play very well."
Copyright - British Soccer Week