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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" in their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

The visitors made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied following the break following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and issue fresh directions in the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our players in football what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, 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 injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight matches to place them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League goals this season

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

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

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they put two in attack and altered the setup a little bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds lost four successive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main emotion is frustration", their second-half performance offered sufficient proof to indicate they are able of arresting their current form and moving up the table

"Displaying such a performance should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the belief before the game, during the fixture and after the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward 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 can take a lot from this display with the manner they have performed in this second half"

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

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds United's season, but Manchester City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"