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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds rallied following the interval following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and issue new directions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"Unless we educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just try to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less Premier League strikes this season

Tactical Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold choice at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

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

"During the break we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put two in attack and changed the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

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

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four successive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "their overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of halting their current run and climbing back up the table

"To show such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the results," Farke added

"We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second half"

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

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

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"