Leaders Chelsea moved nine points clear of title rivals Manchester City as a sublime finish by Oscar helped overcome a determined QPR at Stamford Bridge.
The Brazil midfielder lashed home a first-time low angled drive with the outside of his boot from 12 yards after being set up by Cesc Fabregas.
Charlie Austin levelled after back-heeling Leroy Fer’s shot into the net.
But Eden Hazard’s penalty, after the Belgian was fouled by Eduardo Vargas, won it for Chelsea.
Champions City will reduce the gap to six points should they overcome neighbours United in the Manchester derby on Sunday.
But Chelsea, who were far from their best against battling QPR, are a team determined to make up for last season’s trophy-less campaign.
Jose Mourinho’s side head for Slovenia for Wednesday’s Champions League date with NK Maribor unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions this season.
They also have Diego Costa leading the attack again, the Spain international showing flashes of his best form on his return after missing the previous four games with illness and injury.
One of Chelsea’s few faults this season has been their worrying habit of conceding goals in the final 15 minutes in the top flight.
It has happened five times and cost them victories at Manchester City and Manchester United.
This time, they scored a winner with a quarter of an hour remaining, Hazard sending keeper Robert Green the wrong way from the spot after Vargas’s foul.
It was hard on tireless QPR, who thought they had secured a point when Austin provided a moment of inspiration to divert Fer’s shot, which was going wide, past Thibaut Courtois in the 62nd minute.
But Chelsea, who were laboured rather than spectacular, bossed possession and would have won by a more handsome margin but for Green.
The main talking point of a highly competitive London derby was Oscar’s spectacular opener.
It came soon after Green had asked referee Mike Jones for the floodlights to be switched on as he was struggling to see clearly.
Yet, with the lights beaming down on Stamford Bridge, there was nothing the England international could do to keep out Oscar’s 32nd minute goal of the season contender.
The 23-year-old rippled the back of the net with an early shot after Fabregas had wrong-footed Yun Suk-young.
It was Fabregas’s ninth assist in 10 league games since his £30m summer move from Barcelona, the ex-Arsenal midfielder proving as much a value-for-money signing as Costa.
Chelsea and QPR players observed a minute’s silence before kick-off in what was the last game at Stamford Bridge before Remembrance Sunday
Defender Branislav Ivanovic, who has two league goals for Chelsea this season, wasted a great chance when the game was goalless
Oscar has 15 Premier League goals since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2012
Charlie Austin has scored 24 league goals for QPR since the start of last season – including play-offs – 18 more than anyone else
Eden Hazard has converted all eight penalties that he has taken in the Premier League
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Source: BBC Sport
Leaders Chelsea moved nine points clear of title rivals Manchester City as a sublime finish by Oscar helped overcome a determined QPR at Stamford Bridge.
The Brazil midfielder lashed home a first-time low angled drive with the outside of his boot from 12 yards after being set up by Cesc Fabregas.
Charlie Austin levelled after back-heeling Leroy Fer’s shot into the net.
But Eden Hazard’s penalty, after the Belgian was fouled by Eduardo Vargas, won it for Chelsea.
Champions City will reduce the gap to six points should they overcome neighbours United in the Manchester derby on Sunday.
But Chelsea, who were far from their best against battling QPR, are a team determined to make up for last season’s trophy-less campaign.
Jose Mourinho’s side head for Slovenia for Wednesday’s Champions League date with NK Maribor unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions this season.
They also have Diego Costa leading the attack again, the Spain international showing flashes of his best form on his return after missing the previous four games with illness and injury.
One of Chelsea’s few faults this season has been their worrying habit of conceding goals in the final 15 minutes in the top flight.
It has happened five times and cost them victories at Manchester City and Manchester United.
This time, they scored a winner with a quarter of an hour remaining, Hazard sending keeper Robert Green the wrong way from the spot after Vargas’s foul.
It was hard on tireless QPR, who thought they had secured a point when Austin provided a moment of inspiration to divert Fer’s shot, which was going wide, past Thibaut Courtois in the 62nd minute.
But Chelsea, who were laboured rather than spectacular, bossed possession and would have won by a more handsome margin but for Green.
The main talking point of a highly competitive London derby was Oscar’s spectacular opener.
It came soon after Green had asked referee Mike Jones for the floodlights to be switched on as he was struggling to see clearly.
Yet, with the lights beaming down on Stamford Bridge, there was nothing the England international could do to keep out Oscar’s 32nd minute goal of the season contender.
The 23-year-old rippled the back of the net with an early shot after Fabregas had wrong-footed Yun Suk-young.
It was Fabregas’s ninth assist in 10 league games since his £30m summer move from Barcelona, the ex-Arsenal midfielder proving as much a value-for-money signing as Costa.
Chelsea and QPR players observed a minute’s silence before kick-off in what was the last game at Stamford Bridge before Remembrance Sunday
Defender Branislav Ivanovic, who has two league goals for Chelsea this season, wasted a great chance when the game was goalless
Oscar has 15 Premier League goals since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2012
Charlie Austin has scored 24 league goals for QPR since the start of last season – including play-offs – 18 more than anyone else
Eden Hazard has converted all eight penalties that he has taken in the Premier League
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Source: BBC Sport