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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 Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the restart

And with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and issue new instructions in the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our options are limited"

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less top-flight goals this season

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness especially around changes, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, said that his team were only able to regroup following Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and altered the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We got together on the side of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds suffered four consecutive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their season ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second period display offered enough evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their current form and moving back up the table

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

"We had the belief prior to the match, during the game and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable victory for Manchester City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this display with the way they have played in this second half"

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They got away with one this evening"