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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied following the break after a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the resumption

And with City visibly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver fresh directions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this moment if you wish to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored less Premier League goals this term

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a courageous decision at the interval that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair in attack and altered the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "their main emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough proof to suggest they are able of halting their present run and moving back up the table

"To show such a display should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great chance to earn the points," Farke added

"We had the belief prior to the match, during the fixture and following the encounter. Otherwise you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

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

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

"It looked like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"