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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead before the half-time break

Second Period Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the break following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and deliver new instructions during the 120 seconds the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolves having scored fewer Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was almost vindicated for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly turned around their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they deployed a pair up top and altered the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

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

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our main feeling is disappointment", their second period display provided enough evidence to suggest they are able of halting their present run and climbing up the standings

"Displaying such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to earn the results," the manager added

"We had the confidence before the game, throughout the game and following the encounter. Otherwise you cannot respond with a showing like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the Manchester City centre-backs"

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