Leeds manager Daniel Farke believed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma feigned an knock during the second half of their top-flight clash
Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at the Etihad
Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the interval
Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the interval after a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the resumption
Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue new instructions in the 120 seconds play was stopped for
"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke stated
"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. 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 reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"
"I ask the fourth official at this point if you want to do something. Our options are limited"
"If we don't teach our players in football what to do in regards 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 personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"
Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League goals this term
However, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the half-time that nearly turned around their fortunes
Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad
"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and altered the formation a little bit," said Phil Foden
"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the match. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"
The most recent occasion Leeds lost four successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their season ended with demotion
However, while Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half display provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of arresting their current form and moving back up the table
"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to earn the results," the manager added
"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the game and following the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"
Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second half"
"Leeds United 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 responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the Manchester City centre-backs"
"It appeared like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a measure of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"
Elara Vance is a seasoned betting analyst with over a decade of experience in sports journalism and statistical modeling for UK markets.