Key Leeds Man Steps Up Fitness As He Nears At Return
Soccer Football - Championship - Cardiff City vs Leeds United - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Britain - September 26, 2017 Leeds United's Liam Cooper walks off after being sent off Action Images/Peter Cziborra EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
In Monday’s Under 23 game between Hull City and Leeds United, although youngster Kun Temenuzhkov will take the headlines as he celebrated his senior substitute bow on Friday and backed that up with a brace of goals in the game, the eagled-eyed would’ve noticed that centre-half Liam Cooper got just over an hour under his belt in the match as he continues his recovery from injury.
Having last featured for manager Marcelo Bielsa back at the beginning of December in the victory over Sheffield United, the 27-year-old was in the starting lineup for Carlos Corberan’s side and he got 65 minutes into the tank before he was substituted off, in what simply appeared was a planned move, despite initial concern from fans following the game on social media.
Least Cooper made no reference to a potential problem as he took to Twitter following the game to praise the young lads on display.
Good run out with the U23s tonight.. Some real talent coming through.. Well done men 👏🏻 @LUFC pic.twitter.com/AlVIS3Mkok
— Liam Cooper (@LiamCooper__) January 7, 2019
Friday’s clash against Derby County may come too soon for him given he didn’t get the 90 minutes, but he may make an appearance on the bench depending on how training goes this week.