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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused 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 poorest start with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead before the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

However, the visitors rallied after the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and deliver new instructions in the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everyone knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within 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 questioned the assistant referee at this moment if you wish to do something. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our players in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that nearly reversed their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his team were only capable to reorganize following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and altered the setup a bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds lost four successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with demotion

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main feeling is frustration", their second-half display provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are able of arresting their current form and climbing back up the table

"To show such a performance should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to earn the results," Farke continued

"We had the belief before the game, during the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this display 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 ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the Manchester City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but City found a bit of quality. They got away with one this evening"