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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied after the interval following a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the restart

And with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue new instructions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"Unless we teach our footballers in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight matches to leave them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having scored fewer top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that almost turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put two in attack and changed the formation a little bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

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

However, while Farke said that "our overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their present run and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We possessed the belief before the game, throughout the game and following the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second period"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"