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

The visitors made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the restart

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue new directions in the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this moment if you want to do something. Our options are limited"

"Unless we teach our players in football what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League goals this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness particularly around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a courageous choice at the interval that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize after Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

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

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their main emotion is frustration", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their present form and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to win the points," Farke continued

"We possessed the belief before the match, throughout the game and following the encounter. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"