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

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver new directions during the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and actually 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 allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolves having scored fewer Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly reversed their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and altered the setup a little bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last time Leeds suffered four consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period display offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current form and climbing back up the table

"To show such a performance should give us lots of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great opportunity to win the results," the manager added

"We had the belief before the match, during the game and after the encounter. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

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

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

"It appeared like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's season, but City discovered a bit of quality. They got away with one this evening"