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

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

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the interval following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

And with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and issue fresh instructions in the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everyone understands why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not 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 spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in an attempt 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"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight goals this term

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the half-time that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair up top and altered the setup a bit," said Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Signs for Leeds

The most recent occasion Leeds suffered four straight consecutive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

However, while Farke said that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half display provided sufficient proof to indicate they are able of halting their present run and moving up the standings

"To show such a performance should give us lots of confidence. If we show such spirit and unity we have a great opportunity to win the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on radio analysis, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a measure of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"