🔗 Share this article Manchester City Alleged of Rule-Bending in Narrow Win Over Leeds - Daniel Farke Leeds boss Daniel Farke felt Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma feigned an knock in the second period of their top-flight encounter Leeds United manager Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead before the half-time break Second-Half Comeback Denied However, Leeds fought back after the interval following a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the restart And with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue new instructions during the two minutes the game was halted for "Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke stated "This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution" Manager's Frustration "I questioned the assistant referee at this point if you wish to do something. Our options are limited" "If we don't teach our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain" Stoppage-Time Winner Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight strikes this term Strategic Adjustments Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only able to regroup following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his players "During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden "We really struggled to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections" Positive Signs for Leeds United The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four straight consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with demotion However, while Farke stated that "our main emotion is frustration", their second period performance provided sufficient proof to indicate they are able of halting their present form and moving back up the standings "To show such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to earn the points," Farke added "We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the game and following the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room" Expert Opinion Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "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 performance with the way they have played in this second half" "Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the City centre-backs" "It looked like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"