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

Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the interval after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the resumption

And with City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and issue new instructions during the two minutes 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 clear. It is within the rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds 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 Premier League goals this term

Tactical Changes

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a bold decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his team were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the setup a bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The last time Leeds suffered four straight successive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half display offered enough evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their present run and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of belief. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the points," Farke continued

"We possessed the belief prior to the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the Manchester City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City discovered a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"