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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' lead before the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the break after a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the restart

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue fresh instructions in the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. 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 should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our options are limited"

"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 simply try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his team were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and altered the setup a bit," said Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We got together on the side of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds United lost four straight consecutive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second period performance offered enough proof to indicate they are able of halting their present run and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us lots of belief. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We had the confidence prior to the game, during the fixture and following the encounter. Otherwise you can't come back with a showing like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable win 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"

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It looked like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds United's season, but City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"