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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their top-flight fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Thwarted

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

Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and issue fresh instructions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in terms of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of adventure particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that almost turned around their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only capable to regroup following Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in control. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put two in attack and altered the setup a little bit," said Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the pitch and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their present run and climbing back up the table

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

"We had the confidence prior to the match, throughout the game and following the game. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second half"

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"