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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the interval following a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and issue fresh directions during the two minutes play was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the authorities to find a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you wish 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 whatever and if we simply try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight matches to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight goals this season

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a bold decision at the half-time that nearly turned around their situation

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

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

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds suffered four consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with relegation

However, while Farke stated that "their overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period display offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and moving up the table

"Displaying such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the points," Farke continued

"We had the confidence prior to the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on radio analysis, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody 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 performance with the way they have performed in this second half"

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

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