Sergio Aguero struck twice to earn a disappointing Manchester City a 2-2 draw against Queen's Park Rangers in a pulsating game at Loftus Road.

City fell eight points off the Premier League summit, but it could have been far worse had it not been for the rapier-like menace that is Aguero, who took his Premier League goals tally to 12 for the season in west London.

The Argentine, all intelligent darts and on-the-shoulder hijinks, gave another display of top-drawer forward play, dragging a side that looked short on leadership to a point, which R's chief Harry Redknapp may think they don't deserve.

QPR took the game to their out-of-sorts visitors, still smarting after another Champions League no-show and they had the ball in the net three times in the opening 14 minutes, each through Charlie Austin.

Aguero levelled before half-time with a magical equaliser, plucking an Eliaquim Mangala ball out the sky before wickedly weaving past Steven Caulker and sliding past Rob Green.

That woke City up for a period, but they were matched stride-for-stride by a dogged home side, who didn't lack for quality with a rejuvenated Eduardo Vargas leading their forward forays. When Demichelis put into his own net 14 minutes from time, you couldn't argue their lead wasn't undeserved.

But El Kun had the final say, finishing clinically from six yards when surrounded by R's defenders, in a moment which was a microcosm of the entire evening: QPR vs Aguero.

Manuel Pellegrini's men were keen to make up for their midweek debacle against CSKA Moscow and were quickly on the front foot in the torrential rain at Loftus Road.

Aguero, starting as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, looked bright from the outset, and it was he who fired the first shot of the game, hitting a rising 25-yard effort over Green's crossbar.

However, the home crowd were soon making noise as their side began making moves in an increasingly hectic opening, thanks to top-scorer Charlie Austin putting the ball in the back of the net twice in 10 seconds - but seeing neither count.

First, after a swift counter-attack, Austin headed Vargas' cross into the back of the net, but the former Swindon and Burnley forward was offside.

From the subsequent free-kick, Joe Hart presented the ball straight back to Austin, whose 20-yard strike was unerring. However, referee Mike Dean rightly disallowed the goal, as Hart had touched the ball twice, kicking off his right foot, onto his left.

With 14 minutes on the clock, City were fortunate that Austin didn't show the same potency, firing too close to Hart, when he really should have scored.

Six minutes later however, Austin finally had his goal, burying a low strike past Hart into the bottom corner following an industrious run and clever pass from Mauricio Isla.

It was the former brick-layer's sixth Premier League goal in only his 10th appearance. If Saido Berahino's goals for West Brom have earned him an England call up, then Austin may not be too far behind, particularly if he sustains his recent form.

On the City bench Pellegrini sat, shaking his head. Yaya Toure fired a curling effort over the bar as he looked to shake the side into action.

After a bright opening five minutes, they'd allowed QPR to take control and again, looked laboured with their attempted possession play. Without Vincent Kompany, City lacked leadership and were struggling to impress themselves.

Until Aguero stepped up to equalise.

A long ball from Mangala over the top was brilliantly taken on the tip of his toe by the impish Aguero, who flicked the ball inside Caulker, swept it back outside the former Cardiff defender and coolly rolled past Green with his left foot.

It was a mixture of sublime control and clinical finishing that City's overall display hadn't deserved. It was devilishly brilliant from the Premier League's most devastating striker.

Suddenly, having looked so flat City began to play with swagger and to dictate the game.

And yet, on the stroke of half-time, they were indebted again to keeper Hart, as he kept out an angled drive from Austin.

A first half injury to Sandro meant the return to action of ex-City midfielder Joey Barton for the hosts at the interval and he was immediately into the thick of things with a typically pugnacious challenge on Fernando.

Five minutes into the second half, and Aguero should have taken the lead in his strikers-only battle with Austin, but after Toure's surging run and cross, Aguero inexplicably failed to slide the ball home with the goal gaping.

Soon after the R's had the ball in the net for a fourth time, but City's defence had rapidly exited the penalty area, playing three QPR attackers offside.

With Chelsea having won earlier in the day, City began the game nine points off top spot, and 'safe' selection of both Fernando and Fernandinho in central midfield was taking away from City's attacking game. Surely James Milner, consistently excellent this season and City's best player in the midweek defeat, would have been a better option than one of the Brazilians, to add more drive and intent in midfield.

On 63 minutes Fernandinho was indeed replaced after another disappointing showing but his replacement wasn't the England international, rather Edin Dzeko. But the Bosnian striker didn't stick around for long, an injury ending his night just four minutes after his arrival; former West Ham and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard replaced him, to a cacophony of boos from the home support.

Fourteen minutes from time, those boos were cheers as Harry Redknapp's men took the lead.

Fernando's nothing challenge on Vargas allowed him to find Austin out wide and his whipped cross, looking for Zamora, was turned into his own net by the hapless Demichelis.

That good work was almost undone 90 seconds later however, as Joey Barton's wayward header sent Aguero through on goal. But after rounding Rob Green, his goal-bound shot was blocked by Richard Dunne. Steven Caulker then denied the Argentine, heading off the line.

But when offered a third chance to equalise, Aguero made no mistake, punishing the R's defence from six yards for his 12th league goal.