🔗 Share this article

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

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

Second Period Revival Denied

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

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and deliver new directions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody understands 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 regulations. 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 authorities to find a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this moment 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 sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

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

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that almost turned around their situation

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

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair in attack and altered the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The most recent occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their main feeling is frustration", their second-half display provided sufficient proof to suggest they are capable of halting their present run and climbing up the table

"To show such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we show such spirit and unity we have a excellent chance to win the results," Farke continued

"We possessed the belief prior to the game, during the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the manner 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 was introduced and physically challenged the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It looked like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"