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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Revival Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the break after a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the restart

And with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to cope with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get treatment, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the touchline and deliver new instructions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we teach our players in football what to do in terms of sportsmanship and fair play and everything and if we just attempt to bend the rules and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Deciding Goal

Phil Foden's injury-time winner sent Leeds United to a sixth loss in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched less top-flight goals this season

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold decision at the interval that nearly reversed their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his team were only capable to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they deployed two in attack and altered the formation a bit," commented Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the match. 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"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds

The last occasion Leeds lost four straight consecutive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

Nevertheless, while Farke stated that "their overriding feeling is frustration", their second period display offered sufficient evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their present form and moving up the table

"Displaying such a display should give us lots of belief. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great chance to win the results," the manager added

"We had the belief before the match, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have strong unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this display with the way 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 was introduced and physically challenged the City centre-backs"

"It appeared like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds United's campaign, but City found a measure of quality. They escaped with one this afternoon"