Leeds United boss Daniel Farke believed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma simulated an knock during the second half of their Premier League clash
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium
Leeds got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the interval
However, Leeds fought back after the interval after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the resumption
Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new instructions in the 120 seconds play was stopped for
"Everyone understands why he went down," Farke stated
"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a solution"
"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"
"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"
Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less Premier League goals this season
However, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes
Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his team were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his players
"During the break we were in command. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair up top and changed the formation a little bit," said Foden
"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the field and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"
The last occasion Leeds lost four straight consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation
Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half display offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current form and moving back up the table
"Displaying such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to win the points," Farke added
"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the game and following the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"
"Leeds can take a lot from this display with the way they have played in this second period"
"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City centre-backs"
"It appeared like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City found a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"
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