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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage before the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

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

And with City visibly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and issue new directions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the authorities to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League strikes this term

Strategic Changes

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a bold choice at the interval that nearly reversed their fortunes

Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his side were only capable to regroup following Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

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

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four successive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main emotion is frustration", their second-half display provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present run and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the points," the manager added

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, during the fixture and after the encounter. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but 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 frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City defenders"

"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"