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Leeds manager Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

Leeds made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

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

And with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and deliver new instructions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"Unless we teach our footballers in football what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth defeat in seven top-flight matches to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored fewer Premier League strikes this term

Strategic Changes

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly vindicated for a courageous choice at the half-time that almost reversed their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair up top and altered the setup a little bit," commented Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the match. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

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

However, while Farke said that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second period performance offered sufficient evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their current form and climbing back up the table

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great chance to earn the results," the manager added

"We possessed the confidence prior to the match, during the fixture and after the encounter. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the dressing room"

Pundit Analysis

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

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently criticised for not being as responsive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the City defenders"

"It appeared like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City discovered a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"