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

The visitors got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Thwarted

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

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver fresh directions in the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't 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 within the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a solution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you wish to do something. Our options are limited"

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Winner

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

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the half-time that almost turned around their situation

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair in attack and altered the setup a bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds United lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance provided sufficient evidence to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and moving back up the table

"To show such a performance should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a great chance to earn the results," the manager added

"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the fixture and following the encounter. Otherwise you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

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

"Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have performed in this second half"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is often criticised for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It looked like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"