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

Leeds got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the break following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the resumption

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and issue fresh instructions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"Unless we teach our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair up top and changed the setup a bit," said Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last time Leeds United suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their season ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "their main feeling is frustration", their second period performance provided sufficient proof to indicate they are able of halting their current run and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us plenty of confidence. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the results," Farke continued

"We had the belief before the game, throughout the fixture and after the game. Or else you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"