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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" during their top-flight match at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver fresh directions during the two minutes play was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League strikes this season

Strategic Changes

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around changes, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair up top and changed the setup a bit," said Foden

"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds

The most recent time Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our main feeling is disappointment", their second period performance provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present run and moving up the table

"Displaying such a display should provide us lots of belief. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a great opportunity to earn the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the belief prior to the game, during the fixture and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win 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 half"

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

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