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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

Leeds got off to the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead before the half-time break

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, Leeds fought back after the interval following a adjustment of strategy and setup, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting straight away following the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City visibly having difficulty to deal with the changes moments before Lukas Nmecha equalized, home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive treatment, enabling manager Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and issue fresh directions during the 120 seconds the game was stopped for

"Everybody understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the regulations. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the sense of fair play? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the authorities to determine a solution"

Manager's Disappointment

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

"If we don't educate our players in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and everything and if we just try to exploit regulations and actually do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an extra team meeting, it is not what I approve of personally. But if it is within the rules I have no grounds for complaint"

Stoppage-Time Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time winner condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League matches to leave them 18th in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having scored fewer Premier League strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Farke, who has been questioned for a absence of boldness particularly around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a courageous choice at the half-time that almost turned around their fortunes

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, said that his side were only able to regroup after Pep Guardiola's sideline conference with his squad

"During the break we were in command. After halftime they came out, harried us a lot higher, they deployed a pair in attack and altered the formation a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We really had difficulty to gain control of the match. We got together on the side of the field and changed a few things and it improved from there. That little break was vital to get things right"

Encouraging Aspects for Leeds United

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

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "our main feeling is disappointment", their second period performance offered enough evidence to indicate they are capable of halting their present run and moving back up the table

"Displaying such a performance should give us lots of belief. If we show such determination and unity we have a great chance to win the points," the manager continued

"We possessed the belief before the game, during the game and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and determination in the dressing room"

Expert Analysis

Commenting on radio analysis, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everybody expected it to be a straightforward win for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently questioned for not being as responsive as he ought to be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on and roughed up the City defenders"

"It looked like it might be a huge turning point in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a bit of quality. They escaped with one this evening"