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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

However, the visitors rallied after the break after a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

And with City clearly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver fresh instructions during the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I questioned the fourth official at this moment if you want to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't teach our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight matches to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer Premier League goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous choice at the half-time that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only able to regroup after Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair in attack and altered the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

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

However, while Daniel Farke said that "our main feeling is disappointment", their second period display provided sufficient evidence to indicate they are able of arresting their current run and moving up the table

"To show such a performance should provide us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to earn the results," Farke continued

"We had the confidence prior to the game, during the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the Manchester City defenders"

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"