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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

However, Leeds rallied following the interval after a adjustment of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the restart

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and deliver fresh instructions in the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everyone 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 clever. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"If we don't educate our footballers in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and actually do a simulated knock in order 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 injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored fewer top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold choice at the half-time that almost reversed their fortunes

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, said that his side were only capable to regroup after Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in control. Second half they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and altered the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the side of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

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

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

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

"We had the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

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

"Leeds United can derive a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second period"

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive 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 United's season, but City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"