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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the interval after a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

And with Manchester City clearly struggling to cope with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new instructions during the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that almost turned around their situation

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup following Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

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

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds lost four consecutive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance provided sufficient evidence to indicate they are able of halting their present form and climbing back up the table

"Displaying such a performance should give us plenty of confidence. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to earn the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the fixture and after the encounter. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City defenders"

"It looked like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"