Djibril Cisse has hit out at Mike Dean after the former referee accused QPR of ‘strange’ tactics in the build-up to Manchester City’s Premier League title clinching goal back in 2012.
Man City’s achievements have been under the spotlight in recent days after the club were found guilty of the vast majority of charges relating to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules.
The Premier League accused the club of widespread financial doping over an era of sustained success and Daily Mail Sport understands they have succeeded in proving all of the substantive claims.
City have won 26 trophies since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008, including eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League as part of their 2023 Treble-winning season.
One of the most famous of Man City’s triumphs came in the 2011-12 season, when Sergio Aguero scored an iconic stoppage time winner as Roberto Mancini’s side fought back from 2-1 down to beat QPR 3-2 on the final day of the season.
Aguero’s strike memorably saw Man City clinch their first Premier League title, snatching glory away from rivals Man United in the dying seconds.
Djibril Cisse has hit out at ‘bull****’ after QPR’s tactics in their 2012 match with Man City were questioned
Sergio Aguero scored a famous injury time winner for Man City, which saw them snatch win the Premier League title in the dying seconds
Referee Mike Dean and former Man United star Wayne Rooney last year questioned why QPR kicked the ball back to Man City after the hosts had equalised in stoppage time
Cisse, who played and scored for QPR in the match, responded to a social media clip of an episode of the Overlap, broadcast last November, which saw referee Dean and Rooney discuss the closing stages.
Dean, who refereed the match questioned why QPR booted the ball back to City from kick-off after Edin Dzeko’s 92nd-minute equaliser – something Rooney had previously picked up on before.
Footage of QPR’s restart after Dzeko’s equaliser showed them kicking the ball immediately out of play near City’s corner flag, with the hosts immediately going back on the attack.
‘Once they knew they were safe [from relegation] QPR, I think [forward] Jamie Mackie was on the pitch celebrating while the game was still going on.
‘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.
‘It was just a strange one. 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.’
Rooney added that QPR ‘had loads of ex-City players in there as well’. Nedum Onuoha, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joey Barton had previously played for City, with the latter sent off in the 55th minute.
Djibril Cisse hit out at Dean and Rooney’s comments after the clip was posted again on social media
Cisse had previously defended his post-match celebrations with Samir Nasri, stressing that he was celebrating the success of his friend in winning the league
The former Man United star also quipped ‘there’s another charge’ in a reference to the 115 charges faced by Man City.
Cisse, writing on social media, responded to the clip stating ‘I’m not gonna let you people talk s*** like that.
‘Let’s have a proper meeting and talk about it.
‘Cause there is no way I gonna accept your bull**** anymore, so let’s do it.’
In a separate post, Cisse added: ‘Is it our fault if they [Man United] have lost 5 games in the league and waited the last game to win the league???’
Rooney had previously raised the conspiracy theory back in 2022 when speaking to the Sun.
He said: ‘Paddy Kenny [QPR’s goalkeeper] 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.’
Fans have been looking back at Man City’s success after the club were found guilty of breaches of Premier League financial rules during the period
Cisse addressed Rooney’s comments last year, telling FourFourTwo: ‘I’m not going to take this accusation any longer. I was celebrating with Samir Nasri.
‘I didn’t celebrate with Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero or anybody else. I celebrated with my brother, Samir, who had been a friend of mine for 15 years.
‘I was happy for my friend and also that we managed to stay up. I don’t care about Man City.
‘My friend finally won the Premier League after many years in England and I was happy for him and also for me. That’s all.’
