In a surprising turn of events, former Premier League referee Mike Dean has publicly backed Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney’s conspiracy theory surrounding Manchester City’s sensational title win in the 2012 Premier League season.
On a day etched in football folklore, Manchester United confidently defeated Sunderland 1-0, only to see their title hopes dashed by Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp strike that saw City defeat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 and claim the championship on goal difference. Rooney, however, has long expressed skepticism over the nature of QPR’s play in the dying moments of the match, particularly questioning their players’ actions after being assured of their safety from relegation.
Dean voiced his agreement with Rooney during an appearance on The Overlap Fan Debate, highlighting the peculiarity of QPR’s actions post-Dzeko’s dramatic equaliser. He stated, “They [City] level it at 2-2, and QPR just kick it back to them. We were bewildered, wondering why they handed possession over so readily. Neil Swarbrick, the fourth official, even remarked that we should remain vigilant because it felt like something dramatic was imminent.”
While Rooney has been vocal about the composition of the QPR squad, which included several ex-City players, his comments have incited a robust rebuttal from Joey Barton. The former City and QPR midfielder robustly denied any malpractice, asserting the integrity of the contest and quashing any allegations of thrown matches. Barton expressed, “Manchester United should have taken better care of their own fate rather than concocting unwarranted tales. The fact remains that City needed to beat a bottom-four side in QPR to secure the title, and they accomplished that.”
Despite the accusations, Barton stressed that QPR’s primary focus was to avoid relegation, regardless of the peculiarities observed during the match. As fiery exchanges continue, Rooney’s assertion rumbles on, perpetuating one of English football’s most riveting narratives.