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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" in their top-flight match at the Etihad

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

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the break after a adjustment of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

And with Manchester City clearly struggling to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver new directions in the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"Unless we educate our players in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

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

Tactical Changes

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly reversed their situation

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

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and altered the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds suffered four consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "our main emotion is disappointment", their second period display offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their present run and moving up the table

"To show such a performance should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to earn the results," the manager continued

"We had the belief before the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

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

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

"It looked like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"