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

Leeds made the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second Period Revival Thwarted

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

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and deliver new directions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to find a resolution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you want to take action. 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 everything and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt 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"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less top-flight strikes this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the interval that almost reversed their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only capable to regroup following Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a little bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it improved from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

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

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided sufficient evidence to indicate they are able of halting their current run and moving up the table

"Displaying such a performance should provide us plenty of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great chance to win the results," Farke continued

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

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have played in this second period"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's season, but City found a measure of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"