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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the resumption

And with City clearly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and issue fresh directions during the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I like it? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we 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 exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous choice at the half-time that almost reversed their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup following Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, 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 edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

The last time Leeds United suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main emotion is frustration", their second period performance offered sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and moving back up the table

"To show such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the results," Farke continued

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

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

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

"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 centre-backs"

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