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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with City clearly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue new directions during the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our players in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolves having notched fewer top-flight goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly reversed their situation

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only able to regroup following Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a little bit," commented Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We got together on the side of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four straight consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Farke said that "their main emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough evidence to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and moving back up the standings

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

"We possessed the confidence before the game, during the fixture and after the encounter. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this display with the way they have played in this second half"

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is often criticised for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"