Leeds United: Daniel Farke tipped to make surprise Liam Cooper call for Watford showdown
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has been tipped to hand Whites captain Liam Cooper a rare start against Watford in the Championship by Beren Cross.
The Whites travel to Vicarage Road on Friday (29 March) as they look to continue their unbeaten run in the Championship this year, but will have to make do without several key stars after the international break.
One man who could be sidelined is Ilia Gruev and Leeds Live journalist Cross has tipped Cooper to be the man to replace him, with Ethan Ampadu expected to return to his typical role at the base of the Leeds midfield.
Writing for Leeds Live on Thursday (28 March) he said: “As keen as I am to see Archie Gray in midfield as much as possible while retaining the centre-back foundation of 2024’s incredible run, Cooper gets the nod.
“He is the captain, leader and experienced head of this group. Cooper’s hardly been playing regularly, but his 90 minutes on Tuesday with Scotland is more than Shackleton has had in a long time. The skipper should be a touch sharper than Shackleton, who has had multiple illnesses and injuries in 2024.
“Cooper in defence keeps the midfield more balanced too. Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara feel like a more balanced duo in the centre than Gray and the Finn, who both have an appetite for driving forwards.”
Will Ilia Gruev and Wilfried Gnonto be fit for Leeds United against Watford?
Leeds United are facing arguably the most important part of their Championship season so far as they look to maintain their place at the top of the division and book their place in the Premier League next term.
While it is a blow to potentially lose several key stars during the international break, Farke is blessed with more squad depth than most managers in England’s second tier and has plenty of options to call upon on Friday.
However, Cooper did little during the break with Scotland to suggest that he is ready to play a full 90 minutes at the heart of the Whites’ defence, especially given Joe Rodon and Ampadu’s good partnership recently.
No matter who starts for Leeds on Friday, Farke’s side just have to ensure that they claim all three points. Should they win, they could well remain in pole position in the Championship title race for a few more days.
In other Leeds United news, Darko Gyabi’s season is over after the midfielder underwent surgery during the international break
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