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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper 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 scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage before the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

However, the visitors rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the resumption

And with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and issue new directions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. 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 governing bodies to determine a solution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't teach our footballers in the game what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight matches to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this season

Tactical Changes

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that almost turned around their situation

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only able to regroup after Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair in attack and altered the formation a little bit," commented Phil Foden

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

Positive Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United lost four successive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half display offered enough proof to suggest they are able of arresting their current run and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we show such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the results," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence before the match, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second period"

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this afternoon"