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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second-Half Revival Denied

However, Leeds rallied following the break after a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

And with City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the touchline and issue new instructions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the fourth official at this moment if you wish to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we educate our players in football what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and everything and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an additional team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

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

Tactical Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure particularly around changes, was almost rewarded for a courageous decision at the interval that nearly turned around their situation

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only capable to regroup after Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot higher, they put a pair in attack and altered the formation a little bit," commented Phil Foden

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

Positive Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is disappointment", their second-half performance offered sufficient evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their current form and moving back up the table

"To show such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the results," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the fixture and following the encounter. Otherwise you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been far from easy in this second half"

"Leeds United can take a lot from this performance with the manner they have performed in this second period"

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

"It looked like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"