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What few seem to be saying about Liam Cooper form for Leeds

Every Leeds United fan could identify with Liam Cooper’s react🌠ion on Saturday whenౠ the full-time whistle blew at the end of their clash with Watford.

The captain stretched his arms out, looked up to the sky and gave out a roar on the edge of the Leeds penalty area as the Whites෴ dealt with one final free-kick sent towards the 18-▨yard line.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have t🐭heir first victory of the season in the Premier League. And it came in what felt like a must-win clash against the newly-promoted Hornets.

So it is no s🥃urprise that a sense of relief swept across Elland Road before jubilation could really kick in with Cooper leading the way.

It was Diego Llorente who scored the only goal. The Spaniard produced a smart finish fr🦋om a🌸 first-half corner.

Llorente was excellent in the victory. .

Dan James came second, while Jamie Shackleton was third with just over 🐠a fifth of the vote.

Meanwhile, in fourth place, with six percent, wa🎉s Cooper.

In fairness, it is hard to argue with Llo💖rente, James or Shackleton getting the nod. This particu♎lar Leeds fan voted for James after what was surely his best display yet for the Whites.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

But the poll highlighted something that only Leeds supporters seem to be talking about right now: how good Cooper has been of l🎃ate.

Liam Cooper enjoying purple patch for Leeds at time when most needed

It has not been an easy start to the campaign for the Scotland international. And there was a stage when he perhaps benefitted from the injury problems Leeds were enduring at centr🐼e-back.

He gave away a need𒁏less penalty against Everton. And in truth, he was fortunate to not be punished for the incident that led to Watford having a goal ruled out on Saturday.

Bu🤪t Cooper’s over𝓡all performances have been superb for some time.

He actually grew iඣnto the battle with Allan Saint-Maximin in the draw at Newcastle. And while he was unable to compete in a race wi♉th the attacker, he did actually win a few important challenges.

. That was five more thꦚan any Hammers player – which is quite something given📖 the ability they have.

And ꧟against Watford, he stood out to many while Llorente was receiving so many of the plaudit🅘s.

Cooper clearly has his limitat🦄ions. And there are definitely going to be times in the future when fans are scratching their heads as to why Bielsa sticks by the 30-year-old.

But his l🐻eadership amongst the squad would have been crucial in the games leading up to that first win.

He will probably no﷽t mind one bit if his performances go unappreciated b🔯y many.

But most of the Leeds fans are seeing it right now. Cooper has been outstan🍌ding.