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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" in their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back following the interval after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver fresh directions during the two minutes play was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. 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 keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the interval that almost reversed their fortunes

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only capable to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they put two in attack and changed the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds lost four successive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their season ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their main emotion is disappointment", their second period display offered enough proof to indicate they are able of arresting their present run and climbing back up the table

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great opportunity to earn the points," Farke continued

"We had the confidence prior to the match, throughout the fixture and after the encounter. Otherwise you can't respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this display with the way they have played in this second period"

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but City found a measure of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"