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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

The visitors made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away after the resumption

And with City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver new directions in the two minutes play was halted 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 rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight goals this season

Tactical Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly reversed their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to regroup after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the setup a little bit," said Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We got together on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds United suffered four consecutive top-flight matches was in 2022-23, when their season ended with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of arresting their present form and moving up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the results," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence before the game, during the game and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

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

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

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is often questioned for not being as proactive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City defenders"

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