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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 fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Thwarted

However, the visitors fought back following the break after a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver fresh instructions during the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you want to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't teach our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just try to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League goals this season

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and altered the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their season ended with demotion

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second period performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current run and moving back up the standings

"To show such a display should provide us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great opportunity to earn the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and following the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on radio analysis, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

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

"Following that were 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 Manchester City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this evening"