Never mind Manchester City; it is not so long ago that Queens Park Rangers were hailed as richer than Chelsea. They almost represent old money, but this victory over a strong Aston Villa side was a new high for Iain Dowie’s team, notwithstanding their excellent start to the Coca-Cola Championship campaign. This is the kind of night that Bernie Ecclestone and the other wealthy owners at Loftus Road will be anticipating on a more regular basis.

Fourth in the Championship overcame fourth in the Barclays Premier League, but there did not appear a division between the teams even if Damion Stewart’s winning goal, a powerful header in the 58th minute, represented the rarest of chances for QPR.

Villa, it would seem, have the ability to implode in this competition: this was the fourth time in five seasons that they have been knocked out by lower-division opponents.

Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, argued that this was not a humiliation to rank with the defeat by Leicester City 12 months ago. They fielded a strong team - with Gareth Barry regaining the captaincy while Martin Laursen was rested - who created several chances that were not taken. Marlon Harewood was the chief culprit as several of Villa’s fringe players failed to maintain the standard of the regulars.

Villa have been carrying all before them at home and abroad this season, courtesy of flowing form that brought three wins away from home last week. Their place in the group stage of the Uefa Cup looks assured after the 3-1 win away to Litex Lovech and, if there is any consolation from last night’s exit from a competition that they have won five times, it is the reduction in the number of games they must play.

QPR enter the last 16 of the tournament with some talented players liable to flourish on the higher stage. Daniel Parejo and Emmanuel Ledesma, on loan from Real Madrid and Genoa respectively, were particularly deft. Dowie believes that Akos Buzsaky is capable of top-grade football. More than anything last night, the back four produced immense performances to repel John Carew.

Just when Villa had upped their game, with Ashley Young running at defenders menacingly, the visiting side went ahead. Craig Gardner was adjudged to have conceded a corner and, when Brad Guzan, on an otherwise impressive Villa debut, punched clear, Stewart headed in Parejo’s cross.

Barry should have equalised 15 minutes from time, running clear on to Carew’s flick-on, but he pulled his shot wide. It was a miserable end to a miserable night for Villa.

Aston Villa (4-4-2): B Guzan — C Gardner, Z Knight, C Cuéllar, N Shorey — A Young, S Petrov, I Osbourne (sub: W Routledge, 67min) , G Barry — J Carew, M Harewood (sub: G Agbonlahor, 67). Substitutes not used: B Friedel, N Delfouneso, C Davies, M Salifou, N Reo-Coker. Booked: Cuéllar, Gardner.

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-1-1): R Cerny — M Connolly, F Hall, D Stewart, D Delaney — E Ledesma (sub: A Balanta, 90), D Parejo, G Mahon, M Rowlands — A Buzsaky (sub: M Leigertwood, 81) — P Agyemang (sub; S Di Carmine, 66). Substitutes not used: L Camp, D Blackstock, K Gorkss, H Ephraim. Booked: Delaney.

Referee: L Mason.

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