Liam Cooper made his return to the Leeds United lineup in their latest Championship game.
While it may feel as though nothing is going right for Leeds at the moment, the Whites were handed a big boost ahead of the clash with Brentford on Easter Monday with Liam Cooper returning to the starting lineup having previously been a doubt.
Cooper had missed the previous two games. And while Marcelo Bielsa’s side were able to keep a clean sheet in an outstanding performance against Sheffield Wednesday, he was definitely missed when Wigan came to Elland Road.
He was arguably one of Leeds’ better performers against Brentford, but there appeared to be a nervy moment during the first-half when he bent down towards the ground and looked to be in a little discomfort. Fans would have been forgiven for worrying that he may have suffered a setback in his comeback.
It was not clear whether he was carrying any sort of knock. But it was a very encouraging sign that he got through the rest of the game and appears to have every chance of starting against Aston Villa on Sunday.
However, if there is any concern about his fitness at all and Sheffield United manage to quash almost any remaining hope of Leeds securing automatic-promotion by winning the previous day, perhaps Bielsa should consider resting the captain against the Villans.
If the Blades win, Leeds’ focus will switch to the play-offs. And thus, taking any risk with Cooper this weekend may make little sense. Of course, the Whites would have a better chance of getting some momentum going again if he is in the side.
But if there is the slightest concern about whether he is back to full fitness, then leaving him out may be beneficial in the long run, even if it hurts their chances of beating Villa on Sunday.
Having said that, no result would give Leeds more momentum heading into the play-offs than a win against Villa, who are flying right now. And there has been nothing official to suggest that Cooper was not fully fit before, during and after the Brentford game.
And if Sheffield United do slip up against Ipswich, Cooper needs to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. But Leeds unfortunately need to be prepared to start thinking about what is going to give them the best chance in the play-offs.
And if Cooper was rushed back slightly earlier than planned for the Brentford game, perhaps giving him a rest this weekend may be worth considering.
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