Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sánchez guided Arsenal to a routine win at QPR, despite Charlie Austin striking back late on.

Giroud’s fifth goal in as many games set Arsenal on course, before Sánchez ended a seven-game drought with his 19th goal of the campaign.

The French striker’s 13th goal of the season calmed Arsenal, who had headed into the break unsettled by a spirited effort from the home side.

Austin set up a fraught finish with a fine 20-yard strike on the turn, but Arsenal were able to cling on for victory.

Earlier the visitors were also denied a clear penalty when Karl Henry pulled back Mesut Ozil inside the box.

Rangers wasted little time squeezing Arsenal right across the pitch, with stand-in skipper Bobby Zamora offering a talismanic performance.

Arsenal were restricted to just one tangible goal-scoring opportunity in the first half, Santi Cazorla hitting the target but failing to test Rob Green.

But Arsene Wenger’s side finally found their fluency after the restart and took the lead through a counter-attack.

After a Sánchez break Kieran Gibbs steamed through on the overlap and Giroud turned his low cross home via a deflection.

Sánchez then doubled Arsenal’s lead inside 10 minutes, turning Darnell Furlong inside out before dispatching a low shot past Robert Green.

Just when Arsenal expected to coast home, up popped Austin to blast home on the spin.