Wayne Rooney still can’t believe Man City’s 2012 title hasn’t been looked into. The Manchester United legend has revealed his one issue about the moment that saw City clinch the 2012 title. It’s now been 13 years since Sergio Aguero created what is perhaps the greatest Premier League moment of all-time scoring an iconic goal in the 94th minute against Queen’s Park Rangers to win City’s first English top flight title in nearly 50 years.
The goal meant that City had ripped the title away from local rivals United who were hoping to claim their seventh Premier League trophy since the turn of the century. And it appears that United legend Rooney is still frustrated by the moment as he has doubled down on previous claims that City’s win over QPR in 2012 should have been investigated for one specific reason. With City surrendering a 1-0 lead at home to QPR while the Red Devils picked up a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light it looked almost certain that the 2012 Premier League title would be going to Old Trafford. However an injury time equaliser from Edin Dzeko followed by Aguero’s dramatic winner saw the title change hands within mere minutes dealing a devastating blow to Rooney and his United teammates.
But over a decade later Rooney has revealed that he takes issue with how the London-based side defended in the final moments of the match against City and their decision to kick the ball back straight back to their opponents after Dzeko’s equaliser handing them the chance to score the goal that won it all. Speaking on the Overlap brought to you by Sky Bet Rooney said Yeah no obviously that was a tough one but again didn’t Paddy Kenny turn the ball in for two goals QPR knew they were safe City get to 2-2 then they jus boot the ball back to them. They had Cisse on the pitch Joey Barton got sent off for acting stupid Shaun Wright-Phillips Onuoha so that should have been looked into. Segio Aguero’s title winning goal in 2012 is undoubtedly one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history.
And it’s not the first time that the United legend has spoken up and demanded action over City’s 2012 title win with Rooney also admitting that he questions the match against QPR while speaking about it ten years later. Paddy Kenny should have done better for a couple of the goals Rooney told The Sun 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. Kenny who featured in between the sticks on that famous day at the Etihad responded to Rooney’s comments on social media with a picture of Aguero scoring the winner.
He captioned the post Wasn’t even bothered about diving to be fair alongside a laughing face and two fishing rod emojis. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney has once again raised questions about Manchester City’s dramatic 2012 Premier League title win suggesting something suspicious may have occurred during the final match. The former England captain continues to question aspects of City’s victory over QPR which saw them snatch the title from United in the dying seconds of the season. Rooney specifically points to QPR’s defensive decisions and goalkeeper Paddy Kenny’s performance as reasons why the match should have been investigated. The incident remains one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history with Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp winner securing City’s first title in decades.
Rooney’s persistent questioning of the match highlights the lasting impact of that dramatic finale on United players who were minutes away from lifting the trophy themselves before City’s comeback. The rivalry between Manchester’s two biggest clubs continues to simmer with this historic moment remaining a point of contention years later. Rooney believes QPR’s actions after conceding an equalizer were suspicious noting how they immediately returned possession to City creating the opportunity for Aguero’s winner. He also questioned goalkeeper Kenny’s performance suggesting he could have done better on multiple goals.
Despite his grievances Rooney acknowledges the moment’s significance in Premier League history while maintaining his belief that aspects of the match warranted closer scrutiny. Paddy Kenny responded to Rooney’s allegations with humor posting a social media message with emojis suggesting Rooney was simply fishing for controversy. The dramatic conclusion to the 2011-2012 season remains etched in football history as one of the sport’s most memorable finishes with City scoring twice in stoppage time to overcome QPR and claim the title on goal difference.
For Manchester United fans and players like Rooney the pain of losing the title in such circumstances clearly still resonates more than a decade later. Rooney’s comments on the Overlap podcast demonstrate how deeply that moment affected him and his teammates who were celebrating their own victory before learning of City’s late comeback. The former striker’s suggestions of impropriety have never been formally investigated with most neutral observers viewing the match as a genuine sporting contest that produced an extraordinary conclusion. City fans celebrate the moment as the beginning of their modern era of success while United supporters like Rooney continue to harbor suspicions about what transpired at the Etihad Stadium that day. Joey Barton’s red card for QPR during the match is another factor Rooney mentions as having influenced the outcome with the midfielder’s dismissal weakening QPR’s resistance. The presence of former City player Shaun Wright-Phillips in the QPR team is also noted by Rooney as he builds his case for why the match deserved greater scrutiny.
While Rooney acknowledges the historical significance of the moment his comments reveal the lingering bitterness felt by those on the losing side of such a dramatic title race. City’s title win marked a power shift in Manchester football with the blue half of the city beginning to challenge United’s long-established dominance. The rivalry between the clubs has intensified since that day with City going on to win multiple Premier League titles while United have struggled to maintain their previous levels of success. Football fans around the world remember the commentary Martin Tyler’s iconic Aguerooooo call and the images of delirious City fans while United players at Sunderland learned of their fate via updates from the crowd. For neutrals it remains one of football’s greatest dramatic moments but Rooney’s comments show how differently it’s viewed from the United perspective. The fact that Rooney continues to question the match thirteen years later demonstrates how deeply that moment scarred those involved on the losing side. His suggestions that QPR players didn’t try hard enough or that goalkeeper Kenny underperformed reflect the search for explanations when facing such a devastating sporting loss. City’s late goals came after QPR had surprisingly taken a 2-1 lead despite playing with ten men following Barton’s dismissal making their collapse even more painful for United supporters to witness.
Rooney’s career at United saw him win multiple Premier League titles but the one that got away in such dramatic fashion clearly still troubles him years after his playing days ended. The former England captain has moved into management since retiring as a player but his comments show that some sporting wounds never fully heal. The manner of City’s victory with two goals in stoppage time to overturn a deficit and win the title on goal difference made it particularly difficult for United players to accept. Rooney’s allegations about QPR’s performance have never been substantiated with no official investigation taking place into the events of that day. City fans naturally view Rooney’s comments as sour grapes from a bitter rival unable to accept defeat while United supporters might share his suspicions about what transpired. The fact that QPR were already safe from relegation by the final day is another point Rooney raises suggesting they had less motivation to perform at their best against City. Kenny’s response to Rooney’s allegations shows how some of those involved view the former United striker’s comments as unfounded and motivated by lingering disappointment. The rivalry between United and City has evolved significantly since 2012 with City establishing themselves as the premier force in English football while United have struggled to recapture their former glory. Rooney’s persistence in questioning the events of that day shows how significant moments in football can continue to resonate long after the final whistle has blown. For City fans Aguero’s goal represents the perfect beginning to their era of dominance while for United supporters it marks the start of a challenging period in the club’s history. The contrast between these perspectives demonstrates how the same sporting moment can be viewed entirely differently depending on allegiance and outcome. Football’s ability to create such lasting memories and emotions is part of what makes the sport so compelling with moments like Aguero’s goal living forever in the minds of those who witnessed them. Rooney’s comments ensure that questions about that day continue to be asked even if most neutral observers view what happened as simply an extraordinary sporting drama rather than anything suspicious. The former striker’s illustrious career saw him experience many highs but the manner of losing the 2012 title clearly ranks among his most painful professional disappointments. His willingness to speak publicly about his suspicions shows how deeply that moment affected him and his United teammates. The legacy of that dramatic final day continues to influence how both Manchester clubs view themselves and each other with the power dynamics in the city permanently altered by Aguero’s last-gasp intervention.
4City’s transformation from United’s noisy neighbors to the dominant force in English football can be traced back to that moment making it arguably the most significant goal in the club’s history. For Rooney and United its significance is equally profound but for entirely different reasons representing a sliding doors moment when their control of English football began to slip. The dramatic conclusion to the 2011-2012 season exemplifies why sport captivates us with its ability to produce unscripted drama that resonates for years afterwards. Thirteen years later the emotions generated by those final minutes remain powerful enough to prompt a football legend to question their legitimacy highlighting the lasting impact of truly historic sporting moments.
