Leeds United manager Daniel Farke believed Man City shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an knock during the second half of their Premier League clash
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" in their Premier League match at the Etihad
Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the half-time break
Second Period Comeback Denied
Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the interval following a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the restart
Furthermore with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver new instructions in the two minutes the game was halted for
"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated
"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to find a resolution"
Manager's Frustration
"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"
"If we don't educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"
Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal
Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less Premier League goals this season
Strategic Adjustments
Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly turned around their situation
Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad
"At half-time we were in control. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the setup a bit," said Phil Foden
"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break 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
However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half display offered sufficient proof to suggest they are capable of halting their current run and moving up the table
"Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the points," Farke continued
"We had the belief before the game, during the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"
Expert Opinion
Speaking on radio analysis, ex- Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"
"Leeds can take a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second period"
"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the City centre-backs"
"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City discovered a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"
