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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at the Etihad

The visitors made the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the interval

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to receive treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver fresh instructions in the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everyone 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 bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the assistant referee at this point if you want to take action. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we teach our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having notched less Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Adjustments

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

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his side were only capable to reorganize after Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

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

"We really struggled to get hold of the match. We got together on the edge of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Positive Signs for Leeds

The most recent occasion Leeds suffered four consecutive top-flight games was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main feeling is frustration", their second period performance provided sufficient proof to indicate they are capable of halting their present run and climbing back up the standings

"To show such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to earn the points," the manager added

"We possessed the belief before the match, during the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

"Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the manner they have played in this second half"

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

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