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

Leeds made the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the break after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue new directions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this moment if you want to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply try to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League goals this term

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the interval that almost reversed their situation

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The most recent time Leeds suffered four straight successive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main emotion is disappointment", their second period display provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and moving up the standings

"To show such a display should provide us lots of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence before the game, during the game and following the encounter. Otherwise you can't respond with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds United's season, but City found a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"