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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

The visitors got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's advantage ahead of the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver new directions in the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less top-flight goals this term

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put a pair up top and altered the setup a bit," said Foden

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

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United suffered four successive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with demotion

However, while Farke stated that "their main emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered enough proof to suggest they are able of arresting their present run and moving up the table

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to win the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence before the match, during the game and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

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

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

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