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

The visitors made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead before the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the interval following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the restart

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver fresh directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"Unless we educate our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight strikes this term

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness especially around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that almost reversed their fortunes

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

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they deployed two in attack and changed the formation a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

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

However, while Farke stated that "our main feeling is disappointment", their second period performance offered sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their present run and moving up the standings

"To show such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence before the match, throughout the game and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a showing 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 said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is often criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"