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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the worst possible start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the hosts' lead ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Revival Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the interval after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the restart

And with City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the sideline and issue new directions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is for the authorities to find a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our options are limited"

"If we don't educate our footballers in football what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we simply try to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of myself. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less top-flight strikes this season

Tactical Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a courageous choice at the interval that nearly reversed their fortunes

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize following Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in control. Second half they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they deployed a pair in attack and altered the setup a bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really struggled to gain control of the game. We got together on the side of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United suffered four successive Premier League matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period performance provided sufficient evidence to suggest they are able of halting their current form and climbing back up the standings

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

"We had the confidence prior to the match, during the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have strong togetherness and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second period"

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

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

"It appeared like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds United's season, but Manchester City discovered a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"