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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds rallied after the break following a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

Furthermore with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and issue fresh instructions during the two minutes play was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight matches to place them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that almost reversed their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put two up top and altered the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We genuinely struggled to get hold of the match. We assembled on the side of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation

However, while Farke said that "their main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their current form and moving up the standings

"To show such a display should give us lots of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great opportunity to earn the points," Farke added

"We possessed the belief before the match, throughout the fixture and after the encounter. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the way they have performed in this second period"

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They got away with one this evening"