🔗 Share this article Manchester City Alleged of Rule-Bending in Tight Victory Against Leeds United - Daniel Farke Leeds manager Daniel Farke believed Man City shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an knock during the second period of their top-flight encounter Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the interval Second Period Comeback Thwarted However, Leeds fought back following the break following a adjustment of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the resumption And with City visibly having difficulty to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and issue fresh directions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for "Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented "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 within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution" Coach's Frustration "I questioned the assistant referee at this point if you wish to do something. Our options are limited" "Unless we educate our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain" Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League fixtures to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight strikes this season Strategic Changes Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only able to regroup after Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad "At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair in attack and changed the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden "We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That little break was vital to make corrections" Positive Aspects for Leeds The last occasion Leeds United lost four successive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second period performance offered sufficient proof to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and moving back up the table "To show such a performance should give us plenty of belief. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the points," Farke added "We had the belief prior to the game, throughout the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room" Expert Analysis Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half" "Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the way they have performed in this second period" "Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is often criticised for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City defenders" "It looked like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"