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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" in their top-flight fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' lead ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Thwarted

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

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and deliver fresh instructions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"If we don't teach our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put two up top and changed the formation a little bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds suffered four straight consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

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

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

"We had the belief prior to the game, throughout the fixture and after the game. Or else you can't respond with a showing like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on radio analysis, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the City defenders"

"It looked like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"