It's Eze's night as Crystal Palace eventually make extra class tell against battling QPR

Carabao Cup Third Round

QPR (0) 1 Field 53

Crystal Palace (1) 2 Nketiah 16, Eze 64

Ebere Eze's fingerprints were always going to be all over this one.

The returning prodigal son was presented with framed memorabilia before kick-off, had his own page in the matchday programme to address the fans who used to adore him and was greeted warmly by all corners of the ground.

And of course, the England midfielder was soon threatening to make the night uncomfortable for his former employers - a familiar gliding run towards goal spreading some early panic and a shot just over the crossbar from an Eddie Nketiah cross going close to opening the scoring. Should have, in fact.

But he got there in the end, scoring what proved to be the winner midway through the second half.

Spinning away from his marker inside his own half and accelerating away down the centre and into shooting range, a final sidestep and shot beat Joe Walsh with the aid of a deflection off Steve Cook.

It did not take too long for Eze's influence to result in a goal for Palace as they took a first-half lead.

It was his quick free-kick that caught Rangers defenders napping and Nketiah drilled through Walsh from an angle for his first goal for the South Londoners since moving from Arsenal.

The keeper, who was the hero of the penalty shoot-out win against Luton in the last round, was badly at fault for being beaten so easily.

Nketiah came close to doubling the lead before the interval with a low angled shot from the opposite side - his low strike flashing past Walsh and almost being turned in by Dan Munoz. Kenneth Paal's challenge on Munoz played a part in denying the Eagles.

The R's badly needed something more to knock Palace out of their comfort zone and the introduction of Kader Dembele at the interval promised that.

He was soon involved. Lifting those around him. Nicolas Madsen crossed and Paul Smyth's header was kept out by a brilliant tip-over save from Dean Henderson. But from the resulting corner, Palace failed to clear the aerial danger and Sam Field - playing in defence alongside Cook - was in the right place to profit, turning onto his left foot to whip a shot into the far corner.

It threatened to inspire a turnaround, with home fans willing on a now-energised Rangers. But Eze soon snuffed out the optimism.

The starting line-up had looked like a surrender note for the Hoops - especially as Oliver Glasner put out a strong Eagles side in a bid perhaps to guarantee some momentum with a win ahead of Saturday's clash with Man United at Selhurst. In the end, though, Marti Cifuentes' side gave a reasonable account of themselves.

Indeed, they almost took it to penalties after sub Alfie Lloyd seized on a long clearance from Walsh towards the Loft End and fired powerfully just past the far post. It was a good cup tie.

R's: (4-2-3-1) Walsh - Ashby (Lloyd 68), Cook, Field, Paal - Varane, Dixon-Bonner (Dembele h/t) - Smyth (Andersen 81), Madsen (Dunne 81), Saito (Santos 68) - Celar

Eagles: (3-4-2-1) Henderson - Richards, Guehi, Lacroix - Munoz, Lerma, Kamada (Schlupp 90), Mitchell - Nketiah (Sarr 65), Eze - Mateta (Hughes 74)

Attendance: 13,945