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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League match at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead before the interval

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied following the break following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to cope with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue fresh directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"If we don't teach our players in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less Premier League strikes this season

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that almost reversed their situation

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

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they put a pair up top and altered the setup a little bit," said Foden

"We really had difficulty 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 little break was crucial to get things right"

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with relegation

However, while Farke said that "our main feeling is frustration", their second period display provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current run and moving back up the standings

"To show such a performance should give us lots of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great chance to earn the points," the manager added

"We possessed the belief before the match, during the game and following the game. Or else you can't respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

"Leeds can take a lot from this display with the manner 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 roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"