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

Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Comeback Denied

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

And with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver new instructions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"If we don't educate our players in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we simply try to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four successive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second period display provided sufficient proof to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and moving up the table

"To show such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and after the encounter. Or else you can't respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward win for 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 performed in this second half"

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is often questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"