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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight match at the Etihad

The visitors made the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage before the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

However, Leeds rallied following the break following a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and issue fresh instructions in the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everyone 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 rules. It is clever. If I like it? 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 find a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to bend the rules 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 within the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less Premier League goals this term

Strategic Changes

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure particularly around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only able to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and altered the formation a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the match. We got together on the side of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

The most recent time Leeds suffered four straight successive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "our main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their current run and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to win the points," Farke continued

"We had the belief before the match, during the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is often questioned for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the City defenders"

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