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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their top-flight match at Etihad Stadium

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

Second Period Comeback Denied

However, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and issue new instructions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

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

"Unless we educate our footballers 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 simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less top-flight strikes this term

Strategic Changes

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

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup after Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and changed the formation a little bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and climbing back up the table

"To show such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to win the results," the manager continued

"We had the belief prior to the match, throughout the game and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

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

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

"It looked like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"