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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League match at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back following the break following a adjustment of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the restart

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and deliver new directions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the regulations. 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 keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't teach our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight strikes this term

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness especially around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly reversed their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a bit," said Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Farke said that "our overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their current form and moving up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a great chance to win the points," the manager added

"We had the confidence prior to the match, during the game and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

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

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City discovered a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"