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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and issue fresh directions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everyone understands why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies 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 football what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer top-flight goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that almost reversed their situation

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only able to regroup following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot higher, they put two up top and altered the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United lost four successive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation

However, while 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 standings

"Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence before the game, during the game and after the encounter. Otherwise you can't come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is often questioned for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It looked like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"