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Leeds manager Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second Period Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the restart

Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue new directions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I like it? 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 authorities to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I ask the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven top-flight matches to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly reversed their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and altered the setup a bit," said Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the match. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The last time Leeds United lost four consecutive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "our main feeling is frustration", their second-half display provided enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their current run and moving up the table

"Displaying such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We possessed the belief before the match, during the game and after the encounter. Otherwise you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the way 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 ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this afternoon"