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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage before the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied following the break after a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue new directions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer top-flight goals this term

Strategic Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly reversed their situation

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two up top and altered the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four successive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough evidence to indicate they are able of halting their current run and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a excellent chance to win the points," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the game and following the encounter. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

"Leeds can take a lot from this display with the way they have played in this second period"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

"It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but City discovered a measure of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"