🔗 Share this article

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

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Denied

However, the visitors fought back following the break after a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to cope with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver new directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less top-flight goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that almost reversed their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only capable to reorganize after Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and changed the formation a bit," said Foden

"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last time Leeds lost four straight successive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their current form and climbing back up the standings

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

"We possessed the confidence before the match, during the game and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the City defenders"

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's season, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"