Leeds defender Liam Cooper starred in important win.
Leeds United defender Liam Cooper stepped up and produced one of his most important ever performances for the club at the weekend.
Cooper needed to be strong, with defensive partner Pontus Jansson out injured and Leeds without their two first choice goalkeepers.
It meant debuts for defender Aapa Halme and goalkeeper Will Huffer.
Cooper was excellent in guiding the two inexperienced players to help Leeds beat Bristol City and keep a clean sheet.
It says everything about how well Cooper has developed over the past few months under Marcelo Bielsa.
Cooper was an unpopular selection as captain with fans in the summer, with it felt the defender had done little to be worth retaining the armband.
It was in 2015 when Cooper was first handed the captaincy, midway through Neil Redfearn’s stint in charge of the club.
The last two seasons have been especially disappointing, with Cooper either being third choice, or suffering with disciplinary issues.
This year he is at the top of his game and has made a big improvement.
At the weekend he showed he is finally proving worthy of being Leeds captain.
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