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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "exploit the regulations" in their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium

The visitors got off to the poorest beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the first minute, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' lead ahead of the interval

Second Period Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors fought back following the interval after a change of strategy and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the resumption

Furthermore with City clearly struggling to cope with the adjustments just before Lukas Nmecha levelled, home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down to get attention, enabling boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver fresh instructions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke commented

"This isn't the elephant in the room. Why he went down it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the rules. It is clever. If I approve? If it's within the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the authorities to find a resolution"

Coach's Disappointment

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

"If we don't educate our footballers in the game what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try 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 within the regulations I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal condemned Leeds United to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to leave them eighteenth in the Premier League, with only bottom club Wolves having notched fewer top-flight goals this term

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness especially around substitutions, was nearly rewarded for a bold choice at the half-time that almost reversed their situation

Talking to BBC Match of the Day, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only able to reorganize following Guardiola's touchline conference with his players

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

"We genuinely had difficulty to get hold of the game. We assembled on the side of the pitch and changed a couple of aspects and it improved from there. That little break was crucial to get things right"

Positive Signs for Leeds United

The last occasion Leeds United lost four straight successive Premier League games was in 2022-23, when their campaign ended with demotion

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke said that "our main feeling is frustration", their second-half performance provided enough evidence to suggest they are able of halting their current run and moving back up the table

"To show such a display should provide us lots of confidence. If we demonstrate such determination and unity we have a excellent opportunity to win the points," Farke added

"We had the belief before the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you cannot respond with a performance like that. We have great togetherness and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, ex- Celtic attacker Chris Sutton said: "Everyone anticipated it to be a comfortable victory for City, but it has been anything but comfortable in this second half"

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

"Then came Daniel Farke's changes, who is often 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 looked like it could be a huge turning point in Leeds' campaign, but City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this afternoon"