Former Premier League Referee Backs Wayne Rooney's Explosive Conspiracy Claims
Former Premier League official Mike Dean has added weight to Wayne Rooney's conspiracy claims about Manchester City's inaugural Premier League championship triumph.
Sergio Agüero's legendary stoppage-time strike on the season's final day delivered a 3–2 win for Man City that pushed them past Rooney's Manchester United to secure their first league championship since 1968.
The Citizens required victory at the Etihad Stadium to capture the title, but were behind against ten-man, relegation-battling Queens Park Rangers as injury time approached. Nevertheless, goals from Edin Džeko and Agüero in the 92nd and 94th minutes delivered triumph for Man City.
Rooney, who represented Man Utd during that period, has openly discussed his belief that QPR assisted Man City's success, citing Joey Barton's foolish dismissal, the collection of former Liverpool and Man City personnel in QPR's squad, and how the visitors immediately returned possession to Roberto Mancini's team following Džeko's leveller.
Discussing the encounter last April, Rooney stated: "Obviously that was a difficult one that. But again didn't [QPR goalkeeper] Paddy Kenny turn the ball in, two goals, QPR knew they were safe and City get it to 2–2, then they just boot the ball back to them.
"They had [ex-Liverpool player Djibril] Cissé on the pitch, [ex-Man City midfielder] Joey Barton got sent off for acting stupid. Who else was it? [Former Man City players] Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nedum Onuoha diving about."
Mike Dean Lifts Lid on 'Strange' Man City Win
Dean, who officiated the encounter between Man City and QPR, has acknowledged there was something 'unusual' about the conclusion of that specific match, disclosing he was puzzled by QPR players' conduct.
"They [City] make it 2-2, and they [QPR] just kick it back and give it to them. And we were like, 'What's going on, why are they giving the ball back straightaway?' I said [that] in the ear piece," Dean revealed on The Overlap Fan Debate.
"To kick off and give the ball straight back to them. Neil Swarbrick, the fourth official, said, 'Keep switched on, something is going to happen.' You just knew something was going to happen. You could just tell.
"What was strange about it, once QPR found out they were safe, Jamie Mackie was on the pitch celebrating while the game was still going on."
Naturally, Rooney's statements constitute unproven conjecture, but Dean's observations will only strengthen the conspiracy believers. Regardless, the suggestion that QPR deliberately enabled Man City's victory remains merely theoretical.