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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 fixture at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage before the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the break after a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the restart

Furthermore with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and issue fresh directions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. 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 authorities to find a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I questioned the assistant referee at this point if you want to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolves having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that almost turned around their situation

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

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and changed the formation a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the match. We got together 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 most recent occasion Leeds suffered four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to indicate they are able of halting their present form and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a great opportunity to win the results," Farke continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"