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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the break following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and issue fresh instructions during the two minutes the game 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 clever. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the authorities to determine a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt 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"

Late Winner

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight matches to place them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Changes

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

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his team were only able to regroup following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and changed the formation a bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds suffered four consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding feeling is frustration", their second-half performance offered sufficient proof to indicate they are able of arresting their current form and climbing back up the standings

"To show such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the results," Farke continued

"We had the confidence before the match, throughout the fixture and following the game. Or else you can't come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have played in this second period"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the Manchester City centre-backs"

"It looked like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City found a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"