One thing QPR did during a thrilling Man City game in 2012 left Mike Dean perplexed.
The host team’s incredible stoppage time comeback to win their first league championship since 1968 at the expense of local rivals Manchester United has made the match renowned.
Roberto Mancini’s team defeated the London team 3-2 at home thanks to a goal from Sergio Aguero. Despite the defeat, the London team managed to avoid relegation from the first flight. The Hoops had a 2-1 lead thanks to Djibril Cissé and Jamie Mackie, which would guarantee their spot in the top division regardless of other outcomes. Wayne Rooney, who had scored for Man United at the Stadium of Light earlier that afternoon to put them atop the table, has previously questioned whether this affected how the team defended those final moments against Man City. However, news of Bolton Wanderers’ loss to Stoke City meant that QPR were safe even with a defeat.
Dean, who oversaw the match at the Etihad in May 2012, has also questioned the peculiarity of QPR’s choice to kick the ball back to Man City immediately after Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser. He disclosed that the referees were aware of the ruling at the time and were all anticipating a spectacular outcome in the closing seconds. Dean stated, “They [City] make it 2-2, and they [QPR] just kick it back and give it to them,” according to The Overlap on YouTube. “We thought, ‘What’s going on? Why are they throwing the ball back right away?’ In the earpiece, I said [that].
“To kick off and return the ball to them immediately. “Keep switched on, something is going to happen,” stated Neil Swarbrick, the fourth official. “You had a gut feeling that something would happen. “It was obvious. “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.” Twelve months later, Man United reclaimed the league title from their Manchester rivals, but QPR was ultimately demoted.
Bolton, meanwhile, are currently in League One and haven’t made it back to the Premier League since their relegation in 2012. Nedum Onuoha, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Joey Barton, who was sent off in the 55th minute, were among the former Man City players that were part of the QPR team that day in 2012. Although it hasn’t been verified, considering the outcome at Stoke, it must be true that QPR knew they were safe even in the event of a loss.
They didn’t defend as well as they may have earlier in the game when their survival was still in doubt, which was always understandable given the circumstances. After Dzeko’s goal, Man City also had a lot of momentum, with the crowd encouraging them to score more goals and win the championship. There is no evidence that a group of former City players conspired to help their former team win the league that day, despite the fact that booting the ball at kickoff was an odd tactic at the time and may have demonstrated how anxious QPR was at the moment.
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