Farke: Man City ‘Bend Rules’ to Deny Leeds a Vital Point

Farke: Man City ‘Bend Rules’ to Deny Leeds a Vital Point

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City of exploiting the rules in their dramatic 3-2 Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium, as his side suffered a sixth loss in seven league games.

City surged to a 2-0 lead through Phil Foden’s opener inside the first minute and a Josko Gvardiol header before the break. But Leeds, desperate to escape the relegation zone, mounted an inspired second-half comeback led by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who scored just seconds after the restart.

With Lukas Nmecha poised to equalise, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down requiring treatment. During the break in play, Pep Guardiola gathered his players for an impromptu tactical session that Phil Foden later described as “crucial” to securing the victory.

“Everyone knows why he went down,” said Farke.

“It is within the rules—smart, yes. But in the sense of fair play? That’s questionable.”

Farke Questions Fair Play

Farke expressed frustration over what he perceived to be rule-bending by City to halt Leeds’ momentum.

“If we just try to bend the rules and fake injuries for an extra team talk, I don’t like that personally,” he added.

“But if it’s within the rules, I can’t complain.”

Despite City’s victory, Farke’s halftime changes earned praise, particularly for injecting urgency and a more aggressive shape into Leeds’ second-half approach. Calvert-Lewin’s physicality and movement troubled City’s defence, while Nmecha’s pressing further destabilized the hosts.

Foden: “That Break Was Crucial”

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden acknowledged Leeds’ second-half pressure:

“They changed formation and pressed us higher. We were struggling. That little break was crucial. The manager changed the way we pressed—and you could see the difference immediately.”

Despite City’s eventual late winner from Foden himself in stoppage time, he admitted the match had “got away” from them before Guardiola’s sideline intervention.

Leeds’ Resilience Shows Signs of Life

Though rooted in the bottom three, Leeds can draw encouragement from their Etihad performance. Farke remains confident:

“We didn’t reach the Premier League through luck—we deserve to be here. We’ve been the better side in many matches.”

He praised his players’ “spirit and togetherness,” singling out the tactical response and unity in adversity as key pillars for survival.

Expert Reaction

Former players and pundits were quick to highlight Leeds’ shift in energy:

• Chris Sutton (BBC Radio 5 Live):

  “Leeds made this very uncomfortable for City. That second half could be the turning point in their season.”

• Neil Warnock:

  “Farke looked out of it by halftime, but his tactical switches were spot-on.”

Leeds’ Form – A Cause for Concern?

• Leeds have scored fewer goals than any team except Wolves.

• Their last four losses mirror their 2022-23 run, which ended in relegation.

But performances like this one against the reigning champions and “best manager in the world” (Guardiola) offer hope.

“We have enough to stay in this league,” Farke concluded. “Today proved that.”