Overview
- Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, former referee Mike Dean called aspects of QPR’s approach in the final minutes "strange," citing Jamie Mackie celebrating safety during play and QPR returning the ball to City after Edin Džeko’s equaliser.
- Dean said match officials felt "something was going to happen" as City pressed for a winner, recalling real-time discussions with fourth official Neil Swarbrick.
- Wayne Rooney, who has long questioned QPR’s late-game conduct, reiterated his skepticism during the programme.
- Former QPR players Joey Barton and Djibril Cisse rejected any suggestion the match was thrown, with Cisse saying his post-match celebrations were with friend Samir Nasri and reflected QPR’s survival.
- Separately, Manchester City still await a verdict on extensive alleged financial breaches from 2009–2018 after a hearing concluded roughly a year ago, a case that observers note is the only formal route that could affect the 2011–12 title.