Liam Cooper hails Leeds United’s Bailey Peacock-Farrell

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Leeds United’s Liam Cooper has praised goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has told the Yorkshire Evening Post that he feels Bailey Peacock-Farrell has really stepped up this season to become a key player at Elland Road.

The Whites have made a superb start to life under Marcelo Bielsa, dropping just four points in the Championship whilst playing a brand of football rarely seen in the second tier.

Leeds look like real promotion candidates under Bielsa, and one of the keys to his reign so far has been improving the players already at his disposal.

Gaetano Berardi, Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich and Kemar Roofe are all arguably playing their best football for the club under Bielsa, whilst youngster Jamie Shackleton is a whole new proposition having been switched from midfield to right back.

Another talent who has really taken leaps forward under Bielsa is Bailey Peacock-Farrell, with the goalkeeper starting every single league game this season.

Whilst he broke through under Paul Heckingbottom last season, the signing of Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman left many feeling that Bielsa had snapped up a replacement for the youngster.

However, Peacock-Farrell has swatted aside Blackman’s competition so far, and his performances have seen him touted for a future England call-up – even though he has already played for Northern Ireland in a friendly.

Now, captain Cooper has told the Yorkshire Evening Post that he feels Peacock-Farrell has really stepped up this season, claiming he was ‘brilliant’ against Middlesbrough on Friday night and takes pressure off his back four by commanding his area so well.

“We have got great players in the final third but the defensive lads can play as well – all of us can handle the ball and it’s all confidence,” said Cooper. “It’s great to be a part of. Obviously Bailey has been doing brilliant, he’s been great with his feet and we are a work in progress. There’s a lot more to come from us and we know that but we have got to stay motivated for every game, game by game and long may the hard work continue.”

“It takes so much pressure off the lads when you know your keeper is going to come and be big and strong and even if he has to come and wipe us out we don’t mind because he is doing the right thing. I thought Bails was brilliant on Friday night and he has really stepped up to the plate this year,” he added.