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Leeds manager Daniel Farke has accused City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their top-flight fixture at the Etihad

Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

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

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver fresh directions in the two minutes play was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the rules. It is clever. 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 up to the authorities to find a solution"

Coach's Frustration

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

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in terms of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is within the rules I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Winner

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

Tactical Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around changes, was almost rewarded for a bold choice at the interval that almost reversed their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his squad

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

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the pitch and adjusted a few things and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The most recent time Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their season ended with demotion

However, while Farke stated that "our overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period performance provided enough proof to suggest they are capable of arresting their present run and moving back up the table

"Displaying such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to earn the points," Farke added

"We had the confidence prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't come back with a performance like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for 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 played in this second half"

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, 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 might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but City found a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"