Leeds fans loved Liam Cooper’s performance against Derby County

by Will Jones share

2 minute read 12/1/2019 | 12:14pm

Leeds United maintained their place at the top of the Championship table with an utterly dominant 2-0 win over Frank Lampard’s Derby County at Elland Road on Friday night.

The Rams were outclassed from the first whistle to the last by the Whites who produced high levels of intensity and maintained a remarkably high and aggressive press through the match.

Going forward, the likes of Kemar Roofe, Jack Clarke, Mateusz Klich, Jack Harrison, Adam Forshaw and Ezgjan Alioski all shone. Marcelo Bielsa’s side were also solid at the back, largely due to the imperious centre-back pairing of Pontus Jansson and club captain Liam Cooper.

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The 27-year-old skipper was making his first appearance since sustaining an injury against Sheffield United on December 1st. Despite this lengthy absence though, the 6’0” defender looked fully up to speed with the game and was unflustered throughout.

After the final whistle, plenty of Leeds fans took to Twitter to celebrate the former Scotland under-19s international’s triumphant return…

First thing I thought this morning, ‘how bloody good was it having Coops back?’. The partnership him & Pontus have built is top class. There was a point in the game where they butted heads in celebration, I thought I was going to just burst out crying!!! #lufc #ALAW #mot

— James Cockerham (@h_cockerham) 12 January 2019

Top performance yesterday Coops, glad to have you back. No better captain for this side, keep it up

— LUFC Lewis (@LewisDeighton17) 12 January 2019

@LiamCooper__ Remember the days when fans doubted our Coops, I’ve not heard a bad word about him in over a year and deservedly so Captain

— Luke Bishop (@lufc_bishop) 12 January 2019

Coops!!!! What a player he’s become!

— Marcelo B’s LUFC (@BillyKeville) 11 January 2019

Forshaw Man of the first half for me, Jansson man of the second but can’t look past Captain Coops tonight, coming back from surgery to have a game like that? Immense. #LUFC

— Bielsa’s Army (@LeedsUnited97) 11 January 2019

So, Coops comes back, we get three points and a clean sheet. The case for the defence rests…#LUFC

— Julian Peace (@JulianPeace1) 11 January 2019