🔗 Share this article Manchester City Accused of Rule-Bending in Tight Win Against Leeds United - Daniel Farke Leeds manager Daniel Farke felt Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an knock in the second period of their Premier League encounter Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break Second-Half Comeback Denied Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the break after a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart And with City visibly having difficulty to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and deliver new instructions in the 120 seconds play was stopped for "Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated "This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a solution" Coach's Frustration "I questioned the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied" "Unless we educate our players in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint" Stoppage-Time Winner Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight goals this season Strategic Changes However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players "During the break we were in command. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair up top and changed the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden "We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections" Positive Signs for Leeds United The last time Leeds suffered four successive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with relegation However, while Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second period display offered enough proof to indicate they are capable of halting their present form and climbing back up the table "To show such a performance should give us plenty of belief. If we show such spirit and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," Farke continued "We had the belief prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room" Expert Analysis Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period" "Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have played in this second half" "Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned 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 might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"