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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the break after a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue fresh instructions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you wish 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 everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolves having scored less Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and changed the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We assembled on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The last time Leeds lost four straight consecutive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our main emotion is frustration", their second-half performance offered sufficient evidence to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and climbing back up the standings

"To show such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," Farke continued

"We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"