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

Leeds made the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the first minute, prior to Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's advantage 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 scoring immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with City clearly having difficulty to deal with the adjustments moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver new directions in the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everyone knows why he went down," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a resolution"

Manager's Frustration

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

"Unless we educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we simply attempt to bend the rules and even do a fake injury in order to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven top-flight fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having scored less Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of boldness especially around changes, was nearly vindicated for a bold choice at the interval that almost reversed their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his side were only capable to regroup following Pep Guardiola's sideline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in control. After halftime they emerged, harried us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and changed the setup a little bit," said Foden

"We genuinely struggled to gain control of the game. We got together on the side of the pitch and changed a few things and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The last time Leeds United suffered four straight successive Premier League games was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation

However, while Daniel Farke said that "our overriding feeling is disappointment", their second-half display offered enough proof to indicate they are able of halting their current form and climbing back up the standings

"To show such a display should give us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a great chance to earn the points," the manager added

"We possessed the belief prior to the match, throughout the fixture and after the game. Otherwise you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody anticipated it to be a comfortable win for Manchester City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City discovered a measure of quality. They got away with one this evening"