🔗 Share this article

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the interval after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and issue fresh directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

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

Manager's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven top-flight matches to place them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold choice at the half-time that nearly turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put a pair up top and changed the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the match. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "our overriding feeling is frustration", their second period performance provided enough evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their current run and climbing up the standings

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

"We possessed the belief before the game, during the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

"Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have performed in this second half"

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

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"