Queens Park Rangers defender Steven Caulker scored an unfortunate 95th-minute own goal to win the match for Liverpool in a frantic Premier League encounter this afternoon.

Four goals were scored after the 85-minute mark at Loftus Road as Liverpool eventually came out on top 3-2 to climb to fifth in the table.

After blazing an early shot over the bar, Charlie Austin should have put the hosts in front after eight minutes when he bundled through a couple of challenges to arrive at Simon Mignolet. The Belgian keeper kept out his initial effort, and Austin could only then drag the loose ball into the side-netting.

Bobby Zamora was playing a key role for the dominant hosts in the first half and it was his low cross in the 28th minute that Leroy Fer sidefooted against the crossbar from close range.

Not long after, the Liverpool woodwork was shaking again when Fer met a Zamora cross. Mignolet was out of position and could only watch as the ball came back off the bar, with Austin and Sandro somehow failing to poke home the rebound.

Liverpool almost stole ahead just before the interval when captain Steven Gerrard curled a shot just wide of the far post with his side's best chance of the opening 45.

Like in the first half, QPR were on the front foot early in the second and were almost in front when Sandro's piledriver was tipped wide by Mignolet in the 47th minute.

Charlie Austin then dragged a low shot wide from a tight angle before Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli submitted his entry for miss of the season.

All the Italian had to do was find the unguarded net from a few yards out after Adam Lallana's shot had been palmed into his path, but he side-footed well over the top in his search for a first Reds Premier League goal.

Midway through the second half, Liverpool broke the deadlock when Raheem Sterling took a quick free kick to Glen Johnson and the right-back's low cross was inadvertently turned home by Richard Dunne.

It was the 10th time that Dunne had scored an own goal in the Premier League - a tally more than any other player and just one less than goals he has scored at the right end.

QPR pushed for an equaliser and Austin and Armand Traore were both denied by Mignolet before the madness of the final 10 minutes, during which four goals were scored.

First, QPR substitute Eduardo Vargas equalised with a close-range finish from Austin's knockdown, before Liverpool restored their lead through Philippe Coutinho, whose low shot following a swift counter took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner.

Back came QPR and again it was Vargas who found the net, flicking a corner just over the line at the near post.

It would not be enough for a point, though, as Liverpool broke once more and forced another own goal when Sterling's attempted pass across goal for Balotelli was prodded into his own net by the backtracking Caulker.

QPR would have climbed off the bottom with a point, but they remain behind Burnley on goal difference.