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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied following the interval after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the resumption

And with City clearly having difficulty to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within 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"

Manager'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 terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer top-flight strikes this term

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness particularly around changes, was almost vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that almost turned around their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

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

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United lost four consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with demotion

However, while Farke said that "their overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half display provided enough evidence to indicate they are able of halting their current form and moving up the standings

"To show such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such spirit and unity we have a excellent chance to win the results," Farke added

"We had the belief before the match, throughout the fixture and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

"Leeds United can take 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 came on and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"