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Leeds manager Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead before the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back after the interval following a change of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away after the resumption

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver new directions during the two minutes the game was halted 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 rules. It is clever. If I like it? If it's in line with 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"

Manager's Disappointment

"I ask the assistant referee at this point if you want to do something. Our hands are tied"

"Unless we teach our footballers in the game what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team talk, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League strikes this term

Tactical Changes

Nonetheless, Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a courageous decision at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes

Speaking to television pundits, Phil Foden, said that his team were only capable to regroup after Guardiola's sideline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot higher, they deployed two up top and changed the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to get hold of the game. We got together on the side of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds

The last time Leeds United suffered four straight successive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their main emotion is frustration", their second period display offered enough evidence to indicate they are capable of arresting their present form and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we show such determination and togetherness we have a great opportunity to earn the results," Farke continued

"We had the confidence before the game, during the fixture and after the game. Or else you can't come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Pundit Analysis

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been anything but easy in this second period"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' campaign, but Manchester City found a measure of quality. They escaped with one this evening"