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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' lead before the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue new directions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't teach our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to bend the rules and actually do a simulated knock in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer Premier League strikes this season

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a courageous decision at the half-time that almost reversed their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his team were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed two in attack and altered the formation a little bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the pitch and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds suffered four consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Farke said that "our main feeling is frustration", their second-half performance offered enough proof to indicate they are able of arresting their current form and climbing back up the table

"To show such a display should provide us lots of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a excellent chance to win the results," Farke added

"We had the confidence before the match, during the fixture and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It looked like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"