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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper 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 finding the net inside the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol doubled the home side's lead before the interval

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back following the interval following a adjustment of tactics and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly struggling to deal with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his players to the sideline and issue new directions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I like it? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"Unless we teach our players in the game what to do in regards of fair play and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just attempt to exploit regulations and actually do a fake injury in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this season

Tactical Changes

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a lack of adventure especially around substitutions, was almost rewarded for a bold decision at the half-time that almost reversed their situation

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

"At half-time we were in control. After halftime they came out, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair up top and altered the formation a bit," said Phil Foden

"We really struggled to get hold of the game. We got together on the side of the pitch and changed a few things and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

The most recent occasion Leeds United suffered four straight consecutive top-flight matches was in the 2022-23 season, when their season concluded with relegation

However, while Farke said that "our main emotion is disappointment", their second period display provided sufficient proof to indicate they are capable of halting their current run and climbing back up the standings

"Displaying such a performance should provide us lots of confidence. If we show such spirit and unity we have a excellent chance to win the results," the manager added

"We had the belief before the game, throughout the fixture and following the game. Otherwise you can't respond with a showing like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Pundit Opinion

Commenting on radio analysis, ex- Scottish club forward Chris Sutton said: "Everybody anticipated it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from easy in this second period"

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

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

"It appeared like it might be a huge pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but City discovered a measure of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"