It was five months ago that Cifuentes took the Leicester job after his protracted QPR exit had him see out last season on gardening leave.
The Spaniard reportedly helped get his summer move over the line by personally contributing half the compensation fee, external that the Foxes needed to pay QPR to sign him.
A stuttered run of results in the early months of the campaign had Cifuentes battling to keep his job at the King Power Stadium, but seven points collected in three games to start December had appeared to take the pressure off the 43-year-old before this nightmare trip back to Loftus Road.
While his QPR replacement Julien Stephan made a difficult start to life in west London, waiting five games for a win this season, the Frenchman now has the R’s seventh in the table – nine points and seven spots better off than they were after 22 games 12 months ago under Cifuentes.
Putting four past the Foxes in the first half set QPR for their most comprehensive win of the season to date.
Saito sparked the flurry of goals with the opener inside two minutes, while Leicester’s inability to deal with a searching free-kick from Nicolas Madsen allowed Kone to control and coolly finish from inside the box.
Dembele had Rangers cruising when he squeezed his effort past Stolarczyk at his near post, but it only got worse for the shot-stopper and the Foxes when Mbengue managed to find the back of the net in first-half stoppage time.
QPR threatened to add even more goals after the break, while a much improved Leicester caused few concerns before the late penalty allowed Thomas to pull a consolation goal back.
