Though admired by Monk, is Leeds United’s Liam Cooper fighting uphill battle?

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The defender has barely featured this season but offered a timely reminder of his qualities in Leeds United’s clash with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Garry Monk will have been thrilled with Liam Cooper’s inspired performance in Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion for a number of reasons, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

First, because he helped reinforce Leeds’ stranglehold of a top six spot and earn a confidence-boosting victory ahead of a gruelling play-off challenge. And, secondly, because it took some of the attention away from Pontus Jansson’s removal from the starting XI.

Winning four aerial duels and completing 12 clearances against The Seagulls, Cooper’s performance was without doubt the most impressive of his seven league starts this season, ensuring that the mysterious absence of Jansson was not the main talking point come full time.

“He’s a top defender, I said that a long time ago, and he’s been improving,” Monk told the Yorkshire Evening Post of the recently called-up Scotland international.

“I really enjoy working with him because he listens and works hard. To come in and deliver that performance shows how ready he is.”

However, thanks to the superb partnership developed by Jansson and Kyle Bartley in the backline, Monk has his hands tied with regards to Cooper.

A regular until this season, the former Hull City youngster would probably be an automatic starter for the majority of Championship ones – essentially, teams who don’t have the benefit of the league’s best defensive pairing.

However, the fact that Cooper has started just seven league games all season, with substitute appearances added on, suggests that he would perhaps be better off continuing his career elsewhere.

Monk may laud him for his professionalism and his ability to step up as a more than capable deputy but Cooper deserves more than to be reduced to a stop-gap role. When Jansson inevitably returns, and if Bartley turns his loan deal from Swansea permanent, that should be Cooper’s cue to exit.