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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the poorest start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' advantage before the interval

Second-Half Comeback Denied

However, the visitors fought back after the interval following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

And with Manchester City visibly struggling to deal with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver new directions in the 120 seconds play was halted for

"Everybody knows why he collapsed," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. 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 sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our players in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in order to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like 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 to a sixth loss in seven top-flight matches to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched less Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

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

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to regroup after Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they put two in attack and changed the setup a little bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent time Leeds lost four consecutive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign concluded with demotion

However, while Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is disappointment", their second period performance provided sufficient proof to suggest they are able of arresting their current run and climbing back up the table

"Displaying such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a great opportunity to earn the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the belief before the game, during the fixture and following the encounter. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a comfortable win for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the way they have played in this second half"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently criticised for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and roughed up the Manchester City defenders"

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