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

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net within the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second Period Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the restart

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver fresh instructions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and everything and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer top-flight strikes this term

Strategic Changes

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold choice at the interval that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, said that his team were only capable to reorganize after Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

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

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the match. We assembled on the side of the field and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The last time Leeds lost four straight consecutive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding feeling is disappointment", their second-half performance provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current form and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us plenty of confidence. If we show such determination and unity we have a great chance to earn the results," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the fixture and following the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Analysis

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

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"