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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver new instructions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to find a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you want to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that almost reversed their situation

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

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and changed the formation a bit," said Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four successive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding feeling is disappointment", their second-half performance offered sufficient proof to indicate they are able of halting their current run and climbing back up the standings

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

"We had the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and after the encounter. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

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

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

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

"It appeared like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City discovered a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"