🔗 Share this article Manchester City Alleged of Rule-Bending in Tight Win Over Leeds - Daniel Farke Leeds United manager Daniel Farke believed Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an injury during the second period of their Premier League clash Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium The visitors made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' lead ahead of the half-time break Second-Half Comeback Thwarted However, Leeds fought back after the interval after a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the restart And with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for "Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented "It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's in line with the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a solution" Coach's Disappointment "I questioned the fourth official at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied" "If we don't educate our players in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint" Late Winner Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League goals this season Strategic Adjustments However, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his team were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's touchline conference with his players "During the break we were in command. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and altered the formation a bit," said Phil Foden "We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the side of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to make corrections" Encouraging Aspects for Leeds The last occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with demotion Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main feeling is frustration", their second period performance provided enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their present form and moving up the standings "Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the results," the manager added "We possessed the belief prior to the game, during the game and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the locker room" Pundit Analysis Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half" "Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the way they have performed in this second period" "Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City defenders" "It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"