'Aguerooooo' ref Mike Dean BACKS Wayne Rooney's conspiracy theory over Man City's dramatic 2012 Premier League title win - and names a QPR player who was celebrating MID-MATCH!

The referee for Manchester City 's iconic title-winning game against QPR in 2012 has thrown his weight behind a conspiracy theory pedalled by Wayne Rooney .

Mike Dean believes QPR did one thing which, whether by design or accident, helped Sergio Aguero and City seal their dramatic comeback.

City scored twice in extra-time to leapfrog Manchester United - who had won 1-0 at Sunderland - and lift their first Premier League title under Roberto Mancini.

But Dean has questioned why QPR booted the ball back to City from kick-off after Edin Dzeko 's 92nd-minute equaliser - something Rooney has picked up on before.

'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 told The Overlap Fan Debate , brought to you by Sky Bet .

'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.

Mike Dean wonders why QPR gave Man City the ball so easily before their iconic winner in 2012

Wayne Rooney, who was on Man United's team that day, has previously raised the issue

'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.'

Rooney chimed in: 'They had loads of ex-City players in there as well.'

QPR did indeed have three former City stars starting that day in Nedum Onuoha, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Joey Barton, with the latter sent off in the 55th minute.

Daily Mail Sport has found footage of QPR's restart after Dzeko's equaliser which shows them kicking the ball immediately out of play near City's corner flag.

Nowadays, that is not an uncommon tactic, but QPR made no attempt to hem City in and win the ball back high up, which is the usual strategy. Instead, Mark Hughes' side dropped off.

Obviously, Rooney and Dean's comments, and the implication that QPR were somehow attempting to help City, are nothing more than speculation that we cannot prove.

It is not even entirely clear if QPR did know they were safe by the time Aguero scored his legendary winner.

Bolton's 1-1 draw with Stoke City meant the London side had narrowly avoided the drop, but their devastated reaction after Aguero's winner suggests some of the defenders may not have known they were in the clear.

Rooney also raised how QPR had three former Manchester City stars playing that day

Rooney, who scored for United on the same day, has raised doubts about the game in the past.

Speaking to The Sun in 2022, he said: 'Paddy Kenny should have done better for a couple of the goals.”

'City get the second goal and QPR kick it straight back to them and that’s never been questioned – I find that strange.

'Djibril Cisse celebrating after the game with the City players, but yeah listen it’s a historic moment in the Premier League so I’m sure that, if you are not involved as a Manchester United player, that’s probably one of the greatest moments in the league.'

Mike Dean was speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.