Former top-flight referee Mike Dean has sensationally supported Wayne Rooney's claim of foul play surrounding Manchester City's dramatic 2012 title victory. The ex-official believes certain aspects of QPR's display against City raised eyebrows after the Hoops secured their survival. Manchester United needed to beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light to maintain the pressure on Roberto Mancini's squad, with the Red Devils aware they would secure the championship if City faltered.
United fulfilled their obligations and with proceedings level at the Etihad Stadium, they appeared destined to be crowned Premier League champions. Nevertheless, Sergio Aguero burst through, slotting past Paddy Kenny to produce the iconic title triumph. Yet Rooney has repeatedly voiced concerns over the years that something appeared questionable about how City secured the crown, with QPR discovering their own escape from the drop whilst the match remained in progress.
Dean, who officiated the City match, echoed Rooney's suspicions as he characterised particular elements of the fixture as "strange".
"It was one of those games, as all the referees that week when the appointments came out, we all wanted that game," he said on The Overlap.
"I couldn't believe I had the game, to get the game, the stakes and how it went. We always knew United were going to beat Sunderland, the way it transpired, we all thought City would win and it went the wrong way.
"What was strange about it, we elude to the end of the game but once QPR found out they were safe, I spoke to Clint Hill about it, once they knew they were safe, Jamie Mackie is on the pitch celebrating while the game is going on.
"They make it 2-2 and they just kick it back, and we were like, 'what's going on, why are they giving the ball back straightaway?' I said [that] in the ear piece.
"It was a strange one. 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, but I still can't get my head around why they kicked the ball straight back. I just couldn't... I don't know."
Rooney added: "They had loads of ex-City and Liverpool players in the team, I know Joey [Barton] tried his best. But Djibril Cisse came out and said he was celebrating with City after it. Here's another charge."
The ex-United forward previously took aim at several QPR players for their part in denying United another title under Sir Alex.
Last April, he remarked: "Obviously that was a tough one, that.
"But again didn't 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 Cisse on the pitch, Joey Barton got sent off for acting stupid. Who else was it, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nedum Onuoha diving about."