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

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage before the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back following the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the resumption

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and issue fresh instructions in the two minutes play was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with 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 want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolves having notched less top-flight goals this season

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous decision at the interval that almost reversed their situation

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

"During the break we were in control. Second half they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and altered the setup a bit," said Foden

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

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds suffered four consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main emotion is frustration", their second-half display provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of arresting their current run and moving back up the table

"Displaying such a display should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the results," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, during the fixture and after the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is often criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"