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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke claimed City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "bend the rules" during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

Leeds made the poorest start with Phil Foden finding the net within the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the interval following a change of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get treatment, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his players to the touchline and deliver new instructions during the two minutes the game was halted for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is clever. If I approve? If it's in line with the sense of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we teach our footballers in football what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I like myself. But if it is within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth loss in seven top-flight fixtures to place them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolves having scored less top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Changes

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

Speaking to television pundits, Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"At half-time we were in command. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they put two up top and altered the formation a bit," said Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That brief pause was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

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

However, while Farke stated that "our overriding emotion is disappointment", their second period display provided enough proof to indicate they are capable of halting their current run and moving back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent chance to win the points," the manager added

"We had the belief before the match, during the game and following the game. Or else you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Pundit Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the manner they have played in this second half"

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds United's season, but Manchester City found a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"