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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League match at the Etihad

The visitors made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the home side's lead before the interval

Second Period Revival Denied

However, Leeds fought back after the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring straight away following the restart

And with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his players to the touchline and deliver new instructions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everybody 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 bounds of the regulations. It is smart. 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 for the authorities to find a solution"

Coach's Frustration

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only last-placed Wolves having notched less top-flight strikes this season

Tactical Changes

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around changes, was nearly vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that almost reversed their situation

Talking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his team were only capable to regroup after Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put two in attack and changed the formation a bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a few things and it got better from there. That little break was vital to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

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

Nevertheless, while Farke said that "their main emotion is frustration", their second period display provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are capable of arresting their present form and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should give us lots of confidence. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the results," Farke added

"We possessed the confidence before the game, throughout the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but easy in this second half"

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

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

"It looked like it could be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds United's campaign, but City discovered a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"