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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

However, the visitors fought back after the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the restart

And with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and deliver fresh directions in the two minutes play was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. 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 governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"Unless we teach our players in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer top-flight goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes

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

"During the break we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the formation a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds lost four consecutive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Farke said that "our main emotion is frustration", their second period display offered enough proof to suggest they are capable of arresting their current form and moving back up the table

"To show such a performance should provide us lots of belief. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to win the points," the manager continued

"We had the confidence prior to the game, throughout the game and following the encounter. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the manner they have played in this second half"

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"