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

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the interval

Second-Half Revival Thwarted

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

And with City visibly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and deliver fresh instructions during the 120 seconds play was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with the spirit of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the governing bodies to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we teach our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we simply try to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League matches to place them 18th in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around changes, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only capable to regroup after Guardiola's sideline conference with his players

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put a pair in attack and changed the setup a bit," said Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Aspects for Leeds

The last time Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "their main feeling is frustration", their second period display offered enough evidence to suggest they are capable of halting their present form and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of belief. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a excellent opportunity to earn the points," Farke continued

"We had the belief prior to the game, during the game and after the encounter. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a comfortable 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 way they have performed in this second half"

"Following that were Daniel Farke's changes, who is often criticised for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"