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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds fought back following the interval after a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the resumption

And with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver new instructions during the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. 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 up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we teach our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they deployed two in attack and changed the setup a bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We got together on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half display offered enough proof to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and moving back up the standings

"To show such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to win the results," the manager added

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

Expert Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is often criticised for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

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