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

Leeds got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

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

Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and issue fresh instructions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a solution"

Coach's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolves having notched less Premier League goals this term

Strategic Adjustments

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

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed two in attack and changed the formation a little bit," commented Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We got together on the edge of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United lost four straight consecutive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second period performance provided enough proof to indicate they are able of halting their present run and climbing up the standings

"To show such a performance should give us lots of belief. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the results," Farke continued

"We possessed the belief before the match, during the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

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

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is often questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the Manchester City defenders"

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