Liam Cooper has taken responsibility for the goal that effectively cost Leeds United last night.
The Whites gave a fine account of themselves as ever but slumped to a 3-1 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Kurt Zouma headed the hosts into a 2-1 lead on 61 minutes, after Patrick Bamford had fired Leeds ahead early in the first half.
Cooper wound up on the ground as Zouma ran away celebrating and replays look to indicate that the United captain slipped.
Christian Pulisic added insult to injury with a third in the stoppage time, but it was the Zouma goal that ultimately cost Marcelo Bielsa’s side a point.
And the Leeds skipper has admitted while speaking to Sky Sports afterwards that he simply had to do better in that situation.
He said: “Kurt Zouma is very good in the air. It’s one of those things where I have to do better. To concede three goals as a team is disappointing.”
This is what captains do, take responsibility head-on instead of passing the buck and the Leeds man will be a better player for it.
The truth is that this is Cooper’s first season in the Premier League and it’s huge step-up in standard for the former Chesterfield star; not that he isn’t up to reaching the standard, because so far he is having a very decent season, but there’s always going to be days like this.
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