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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke claimed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of simulating a knock to "exploit the regulations" during their Premier League fixture at Etihad Stadium

The visitors made the worst possible start with Phil Foden scoring inside the opening 60 seconds, prior to Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Thwarted

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied after the break following a change of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately following the restart

Furthermore with Manchester City clearly having difficulty to cope 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 touchline and deliver fresh instructions in the two minutes the game was stopped for

"Everyone understands why he collapsed," Farke stated

"It is not the obvious issue. Why he went down it was clear. It is within the rules. It is smart. If I approve? If it's within the spirit of sportsmanship? If it should be like this I will keep to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to find a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the assistant referee at this moment if you want to take action. Our options are limited"

"If we don't teach our players in football what to do in regards of sportsmanship and sportsmanship and whatever and if we just try to exploit regulations and even do a simulated knock in order to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like myself. But if it is allowed by the regulations I can't complain"

Stoppage-Time Winner

Phil Foden's stoppage-time decisive goal condemned Leeds to a sixth consecutive defeat in seven Premier League fixtures to place them 18th in the division, with only bottom club Wolverhampton having notched fewer top-flight strikes this season

Strategic Adjustments

Nonetheless, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of adventure especially around substitutions, was nearly vindicated for a bold choice at the half-time that nearly reversed their fortunes

Talking to television pundits, Phil Foden, stated that his side were only able to regroup after Guardiola's touchline meeting with his players

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

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the match. We assembled on the edge of the field and adjusted a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That brief pause was crucial to make corrections"

Positive Signs for Leeds

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

However, while Daniel Farke stated that "their overriding feeling is disappointment", their second period performance offered sufficient proof to indicate they are able of halting their current run and moving up the standings

"To show such a display should provide us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and togetherness we have a excellent opportunity to win the results," the manager continued

"We possessed the confidence prior to the game, throughout the game and after the game. Or else you cannot come back with a showing like that. We have strong unity and fighting spirit in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Speaking on radio analysis, former Celtic attacker Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second period"

"Leeds United can derive a lot from this display with the way they have played 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 City centre-backs"

"It looked like it might be a massive turning point in Leeds' season, but City found a bit of brilliance. They escaped with one this evening"