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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" in their top-flight fixture at Etihad Stadium

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

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds rallied after the break after a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting immediately after the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to get attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to summon his team to the sideline and deliver fresh instructions during the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he went down," Farke commented

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he fell it was clear. 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 keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a solution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"If we don't teach our footballers in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and fair play and whatever and if we just try to bend the rules 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 allowed by the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Late Winner

Phil Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches to place them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolves having scored less Premier League goals this term

Tactical Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold choice at the half-time that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his team were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put two up top and altered the formation a bit," said Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was vital to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds lost four successive Premier League matches was in 2022-23, when their season concluded with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "their overriding emotion is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough proof to indicate they are able of arresting their current run and climbing up the standings

"To show such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the points," Farke continued

"We had the belief prior to the game, throughout 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

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward victory for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can derive a lot from this performance with the way they have performed in this second period"

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

"It looked like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds United's season, but City found a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"