It remains one of the most dramatic afternoons in Premier League history. On May 13, 2012, Manchester City sealed their first Premier League title with almost the final kick of the season, Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time strike sealing a 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers and breaking Manchester United hearts in the process.
Following the chaos of Manchester City’s comeback, accusations and conspiracy theories have swirled. Some, including former Manchester United man Wayne Rooney, have claimed QPR had gone easy on City in the dying minutes after hearing their own safety was confirmed via results elsewhere.
Rooney has questioned QPR goalkeeper Paddy Kenny’s performance that afternoon, as well as images of striker Djibril Cisse apparently ‘celebrating’ with City’s stars post-game.
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Djibril Cisse: “I don’t care about Man City: Rooney took out his frustrations on me. It’s not my fault”
Djibril Cisse has set the record straight about that game (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Paddy Kenny should have done better for a couple of the goals,” Rooney formerly said. “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 yes, 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.”
Sergio Aguero scored the goal to win Manchester City their first-ever title (Image credit: Getty)
Now, over a decade later, Cisse is hitting back at the idea his side rolled over to gift City the title, insisting those claims are disrespectful
“I’m not going to take this accusation any longer,” Cisse tells FourFourTwo on behalf of Poker Strategy. “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.”
Cisse’s frustration is understandable. The Frenchman, who had joined QPR midway through that season, scored six goals in just eight starts to help the club avoid relegation. On that famous day at the Etihad, QPR went 2–1 up despite being reduced to ten men after Joey Barton’s red card. For much of the second half, they defended heroically, with goalkeeper Kenny producing a string of saves as City poured forward in desperation.
Yet even as City’s comeback began in stoppage time, Cisse insists there was never any question of his side easing off.
Wayne Rooney has shown bitterness over the whole game (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Manchester United lost the Premier League title because they dropped points throughout the season,” he says. “It was nothing to do with me or QPR. What Rooney said isn’t cool. He took out his frustrations on me. It’s not my fault.
“If we had wanted Man City to win the league, would it not have been a little risky to have waited until the very last minute to let them score? We could have let them win 4–0 or 5–0 and gone home. But we played a strong team, the manager wanted to win that game. It wasn’t our reserve team.”
Indeed, QPR were fighting for survival, and results elsewhere – notably Bolton’s draw at Stoke – meant they were safe only after the final whistle. What’s more, Queen’s Park Rangers led until the 92nd minute and even threatened on the counter once City’s comeback began. Aguero’s winner was seen as a sucker punch.
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