Captain Cooper delighted to have made amends

HAVING started his career at Hull City, Liam Cooper could have regarded Tuesday night’s victory at the KCOM for Leeds United as that little bit extra special.

Instead, the 27-year-old insists the only thing on his mind was making amends for what United considered to be two dropped points in last Friday’s derby draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

“There was pressure on us,” said the Leeds captain. “It wasn’t a must-win but it was in our minds that a win would make Friday night’s point a very good point.

“It should be six points but we will take the four and move on to Saturday (against Brentford).”

Cooper joined Hull’s youth setup as a 12-year-old and made his Premier League debut in 2009 at Anfield.

“It is just job done,” he said when asked if the three points at the KCOM had added significance. “There have been massive changes here since I have been here, there are not many people still here.

“So, it is just one of those things. It is always nice to get one over (them) and I will have a bit of the bragging rights with my pals back home. But I was just buzzing to get the three points and keep the momentum going.”

Tyler Roberts was United’s hero on Tuesday night with a stunning drilled finish shortly after half-time.

“The boy is flying,” added Cooper about a striker who joined last January for £2.5m but had to wait until this season for his debut because of injury.

“He had been struggling before the game with a toe injury. But he wants to play, he wants to score goals and that is the type of person he is.”

Just as classy as Roberts’s winner was Cooper’s own post-match gesture of support to five-yearold Leeds fan Toby Nye, who is seriously ill.

The youngster has been battling stage 4 Neuroblastoma and his family revealed on Monday that he had now also been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Cooper, who held up a shirt with ‘Stay Strong Toby’ in front of the away fans at the KCOM, said: “It puts football into perspective when you hear the devastating news about Toby and we just want him to know we are with him every step of the way.

“He has done it once and he can do it again. We are right with him so that win was for Toby.”