Player Ratings: Aston Villa 2-2 QPR

Beaten by a quality strike from Cisse early doors and then a surprising effort from his own defender. He must be wondering what more he can do at the moment, but the goals are not his fault

Some early failed crosses mixed in with a couple of better efforts summed up Hutton’s night, but it was his cross that found Bent to halve the deficit just before half-time with Villa desperate for a goal.

He was dropped against Wolves and today did little to suggest it was unfair as he embarrassingly headed past Given under no pressure. Doesn't look as though his recent bad form has come to an end. One awful cross for a goal-kick led to boos.

Not an easy night for one of five Irishmen in the line-up as he was up against a signing eager to impress in Cisse. It’s hard to blame him for the striker’s opener as the ball fell kindly in his path, but soon after he was easily beaten in another attack which could have resulted in a second goal.

A solid start to the match, but a few too many misplaced passes in the middle of the park. Looks comfortable in the holding role, but less so when pushing forward, although one shot should have led to a penalty.

The one Villa defender who could have done little more, with neither goal being his fault. Didn’t put a foot wrong.

Another player to start slowly, but as the first-half wore on he began to see more of the ball and influence the play, with some neat inter-play with Keane pivotal in the build-up to Bent’s goal before the break.

With Clark alongside him, the Bulgarian was free to venture forward a bit more often and it was from such movement that he picked out N'Zogbia for the equaliser.

A typical performance from the England striker. After a first-half where he was almost anonymous, he popped up just before the break to stroke home his 100th Premier League goal after great movement inside the area. Was unlucky to see another shot cleared off the line.

Allowed to drift once again and looked the most likely to create anything with the space, but luck wasn’t with him tonight. First Kenny saved his close-range shot and then had a deflected effort hit the post. However, he can take a little bit of credit for Bent’s goal after settin up Hutton, but it was in his all-round movement where he shone.

After a couple of routine saves in the first-half, he stood no chance when Bent halved the deficit as his defence went to sleep. A couple of nervy saves just about kept his side ahead during the second-half, but he never looked at ease.

Back at his old stomping ground, the Villa crowd showed no emotion towards the right-back who began confidently but found himself needing more and more help as the match wore on with N’Zogbia finding joy in one-on-one situations. Should have closed down the winger much better for his goal as well.

The debutant started slowly by failing to close down a series of crosses from Hutton, but he grabbed an unlikely assist after Warnock headed a cross past his own goalkeeper. However, he was made to pay for his slackness as Hutton grabbed an assist soon after.

In the news recently for non-footballing matters, Ferdinand went back to his day job where he looked the most solid of all the QPR defenders when facing up to lots of Villa pressure.

One of three debutants in the side, the former Manchester City defender started well, but he was beaten by Bent’s movement for his goal. Did well to block a goal-bound shot late on.

For a person who brings out such emotions it was a very subdued performance with little to speak about. Offered nothing in an attacking sense as QPR failed to press the Villa goal.

Another creative player for QPR who showed only brief glimpses of creativity with one cross to Mackie who should have scored.

Plenty of effort and endeavour from the front-man, both in attack and in support of Young at the back. Just the sort of energy needed with Villa probing down both flanks, but he fluffed his lines in front of goal from Wright-Phillips’ cross.

A few early flick-ons aside, this was not a performance to suggest that Bobby Zamora will not ease his way into the team. Villa’s back-line was largely untroubled by his presence, although he can rightly claim a lack of service. Only lasted 10 minutes of the second-half.

With Federico Macheda and Tommy Smith on the bench, it must have been tempting not to start the Frenchman so soon after moving to the club, but his brilliant outside-of-the-right-boot finish to open the scoring vindicated Mark Hughes’ decision. His back flips were just as good as, but he faded in the second-half and was brought off.