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Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has backed Wayne Rooney's claim regarding Manchester City's dramatic Premier League win in 2012. Manchester United were beaten by their local rivals to the title on the final day of the season in the most thrilling way.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side looked destined to win the title with a 1-0 win against Sunderland in the final day as Manchester City were trailing 1-0 to QPR. However, the Cityzens scored twice in stoppage time to steal the title from their neighbours.
Wayne Rooney, who was a key player for Manchester United at the time, recently made a bold claim regarding the match. He opened up about a conspiracy theory and insisted that QPR players were celebrating with City players.
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Now, Mike Dean, who officiated that game, has somewhat backed Rooney's theory. He claimed that the QPR players seemed to give the ball back to the Manchester City players purposefully. Dean told The Overlap Fan Debate, as quoted by Football 365:
“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. To kick off and give the ball straight back to them."
He added:
"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.”
Both Manchester clubs ended the 2011-12 season with 89 points but Manchester City won the league thanks to a superior goal difference. In the final game of the season, Pablo Zabaleta opened the scoring for the Cityzens before Djibril Cisse equalised. James Mackie gave QPR a 2-1 lead before Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero scored in the 92nd and 94th minutes, respectively.
Manchester United legend lavishes praise on Manchester City star Erling Haaland
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has lavished praise on Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland. The former England striker has claimed that he has never seen a better goalscorer than the Norwegian in the Premier League. Andy Cole told Sky Sports:
"I think as a finisher, in that area, I don't think I have seen anyone better, doing what he does, at pure finishing. I'm not sure but at goalscoring and what he does, he's got to be up there. But, when you talk about the best Premier League striker, others haven't played the way he's played, who have scored goals."
He added:
"He's up there, but I'm not going to say he's the best striker that the Premier League has seen, I can't say that because I have got so much respect for the guys that have scored goals in a different era."
Since his rise to stardom, Erling Haaland's goalscoring numbers have been nothing short of extraordinary. The Norwegian has scored 143 goals in 161 games for Manchester City while scoring 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund in the past. He scored 29 goals in 27 games for RB Salzburg and 20 goals in 50 games for Molde. He also boasts an amazing scoring record for his country scoring 55 times in 48 games for Norway.
