Leeds manager Daniel Farke believed Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an knock during the second period of their Premier League encounter
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their top-flight match at Etihad Stadium
The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the half-time break
Second-Half Revival Thwarted
However, Leeds rallied after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the resumption
Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new directions during the two minutes play was stopped for
"Everybody understands why he went down," 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 within the sense 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"
Manager's Frustration
"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you want to do something. Our options are limited"
"Unless we teach our footballers in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"
Late Deciding Goal
Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League strikes this season
Tactical Changes
However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes
Talking to television pundits, Foden, said that his side were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players
"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and changed the setup a bit," commented Foden
"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"
Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United
The most recent time Leeds suffered four successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion
However, while Farke said that "our main feeling is frustration", their second period display provided enough evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their current run and moving up the table
"To show such a performance should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to earn the points," Farke continued
"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the game and following the game. Otherwise you can't respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"
Expert Opinion
Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable victory for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"
"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second half"
"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"
"It looked like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but City found a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"
