Stephy Mavididi had put the visitors in front before Andre Dozzell equalised for QPR before half-time.

But Dozzell was sent off just before the hour mark for two bookings in a clash with Abdul Fatawu, and his team could not hang on without him, falling to a sixth straight defeat as Gareth Ainsworth's struggling side remain 23rd.

When the Foxes were last in the second tier in 2014, they were promoted along with QPR but they have been having contrasting fortunes this campaign, seemingly heading in opposite directions.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei should have darkened the mood around Loftus Road early on but he headed over from six yards.

However, the Foxes did go in front through Mavididi as he cut inside and found the net with a deflected effort.

But the home side responded when Dozzell was on hand to score after Lyndon Dykes' header was cleared off the line.

Begovic saved from Winks before the break and then Fatawu just after as the Foxes looked to regain command.

And their task was made easier when QPR goalscorer Dozzell fouled Fatawu. The Foxes man reacted and when Dozzell pushed him to the ground, Dozzell was shown two yellow cards and then a red, while Fatawu was booked for his involvement.

Leicester were already dominating possession and that only intensified with a man extra, with Fatawu and Casadei going close.

But it was left to Winks to settle it, as he found the net from outside the box for his first goal since scoring for Tottenham Hotspur against Morecambe in the FA Cup.

That strike maintained Leicester's five-point cushion over second-placed Ipswich Town and sets them up nicely for Friday's attractive-looking home game with Leeds United, who are third.

While for QPR, they have taken only one point from six home games and are already six points adrift of safety and facing a long season.

'Winks is perfect' - reaction

Harry Winks ended a drought of 51 games for Tottenham, Sampdoria and now Leicester

QPR manager Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Radio London:

"A crazy, naive moment has cost us.

"We were comfortable against the league leaders. We had a plan and the plan was in place, but you cannot go against a team like this with 10 men - although we almost saw it out.

"I'm proud of that performance - it sounds crazy for a sixth defeat on the spin. But I look at the statistics, the closing down, the fight, the desire, the belief in the players.

"If we keep playing like that, there will be enough in the tank to keep us in the Championship."

Leicester City head coach Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester:

"Harry Winks has been a main player for us, for the way he behaves on and off the ball, trying to learn new things every day.

"When I met the club for the first time, he was the first name [I said] because I know him from Tottenham and he was in Italy last year.

"With this idea of football, Harry is perfect."