Paul Heckingbottom made error dropping Leeds United defender Matthew Pennington

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Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom decided to pick Liam Cooper over Matthew Pennington against Derby County.

Paul Heckingbottom made an error picking Leeds United’s Liam Cooper over Matthew Pennington against Derby County.

Cooper returned from suspension for Leeds and was immediately brought back into Heckingbottom’s starting line-up for the contest at Pride Park, but his display did little to suggest he should have been selected.

Pennington has been a reserve choice for Leeds for much of the season, after arriving on loan from Everton.

However, he had done a credible job, when stepping up in Cooper’s absence.

And Cooper’s display against Derby did not justify Heckingbottom’s decision to immediately bring him back into the team.

Cooper was partly at fault for the equalising goal which Derby scored in the last minute, as Kasey Palmer bundled the ball in from close range.

And Heckingbottom may look back with some regret that he did not keep the faith with Pennington, as the Everton defender may have done a better job than Cooper in the end.