*Queens Park Rangers upset Aston Villa’s automatic promotion hopes as they eased to only their third Championship away win of the season.*

Jake Bidwell crossed for Ryan Manning to head an early opener before the QPR left-back himself scored with a low left-foot shot for a 2-0 half-time lead at Villa Park.

Substitute Luke Freeman turned to drill home an 82nd-minute third.

James Chester’s third goal in as many games was only a consolation.

Villa’s first home defeat in four months leaves them seven points behind second-placed Cardiff and 10 points adrift of leaders Wolves, both of whom won on Tuesday.

An impressive QPR performance was their third win in the Midlands this season and lifts Ian Holloway’s side one place to 15th.

Villa boss Steve Bruce had already warned of the danger of complacency in the wake of Saturday’s thumping win over Wolves.

But they were simply no match for a QPR side who belied their lowly league position.

After Matt Smith’s low left-foot shot had forced a save from an alert Sam Johnstone in the first minute, QPR went ahead on 12 minutes when Manning deftly headed home Bidwell’s left-wing cross.

They then doubled the lead when, following a move down the right, Villa only half cleared, and the ball broke to Bidwell, who drilled in from 20 yards.

QPR had other near chances, while Villa were limited to just two first-half efforts, each time being denied by keeper Alex Smithies.

Top scorer Albert Adomah’s speculative right foot curler would have dipped in under the bar, only for Smithies to tip away as he again did, when the unmarked Jack Grealish headed Robert Snodgrass’ cross straight at him just before the break.

Bruce threw on first Keinan Davis, then Scott Hogan and went to three at the back in an attempt to shake things up.

However, the visitors always looked the greater threat even before Freeman finished Villa off - and defender Chester’s consolation goal was too little, too late.

*Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce told BBC WM:*

“We’ve choked tonight. We’ve made a mess of it. Now we need to put it right at Bolton on Saturday evening.

“From experience, I always feared it might be ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ following the weekend. I toyed and toyed with changing it, making five or six changes, and in hindsight, I should have done.

“We never got started. Mentally, we weren’t at it. We didn’t get anywhere near the heights of Saturday. But that’s what this league is all about, any team can beat you.”