Wayne Rooney brought up his suspension from playing for Manchester United in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City during the BBC's build-up to this year's final
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Wayne Rooney speaking on-air while working on a BBC broadcast of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium
BBC host Mark Chapman had to clarify comments that Wayne Rooney made about Manchester City before the FA Cup final
(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney accused Manchester City of 'cheating' during the BBC's pre-match coverage of the FA Cup final before being quickly corrected.
Rooney was speaking on Radio 5 Live from Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Working on air alongside Micah Richards, BBC build-up, hosted by Mark Chapman, turned to the latter's memories of the 2011 final.
Interjecting while the former City played shared his memories of that success, Rooney recalled his involvement, or lack thereof, in their route to the final. He was infamously serving a suspension and missed the Manchester derby semi-final, which Manchester United lost to a lone Yaya Toure goal.
"I think that was the year- did you play United in the semi-final?" Rooney asked Richards. "Yes, I was actually injured for that one," he replied, "[Pablo] Zabaleta played, and I got put back in for the final."
Rooney then remarked: "I controversially got suspended for the semi-final." Encouraging his fellow pundit to divulge further information, Richards questioned: "Controversially? "Do you want to elaborate on that?"
In response, Rooney asked: "Well, have you ever heard of a two-game ban?" He then added: "It's one or three, no?" Chapman and Richards concurred, both asking for a reminder of what happened.
"I scored a hat-trick against West Ham [United] and I swore down the camera," he explained. The former now recalled that incident.
The latter quipped: "I swore down the camera and it got me a gig at the BBC!" To which, Chapman clarified: "That was him during the game; that was you post-match after the final."
Rooney then claimed: "Working for the FA at the time was an ex-City guy, and they gave me a two-game ban, and the second game was against Man City in the semi-final." Richards, in response, asked, "Why are you just telling us this now?"
Chapman added: "Conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists, eh?" To which Rooney remarked: "City cheating again, look."
Richards then exclaimed: "You can't say that!" Chapman concurred, interjecting to clarify: "That's what they haven't done as yet, and they deny that, Wayne."
Rooney injected to claim it was just "jokes" as Chapman continued: "As we bring you into broadcasting, and I get you off any libel charges. I wasn't expecting that in the first 10 minutes of doing a multimedia show, I'll be honest with you!"
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