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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight match at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the interval

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the interval after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and issue fresh directions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we teach our players in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less Premier League strikes this term

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the interval that almost reversed their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put two up top and changed the setup a little bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four straight consecutive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with demotion

However, while Farke said that "their main feeling is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough proof to suggest they are capable of halting their current run and climbing back up the table

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

"We possessed the belief prior to the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Analysis

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

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

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

"It looked like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"