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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their Premier League match at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Comeback Thwarted

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

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver fresh directions in the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I like it? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to regroup after Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put two up top and changed the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the game. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough proof to indicate they are able of arresting their current run and climbing up the table

"Displaying such a performance should provide us lots of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a great chance to win the results," Farke added

"We had the belief prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the way they have performed in this second half"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

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