Former Leeds United striker Jermaine Beckford says the dearth of Liam Cooper’s leadership proved to be luxurious in the course of Saturday’s four-0 domestic defeat towards Manchester City.
Defending from set-pieces has been a huge problem area for Leeds. It changed into an issue once more against City and that they have now conceded 18 dreams from them this season. But Beckford says the absence of Cooper was a big setback. Particularly for the first intention.
City took the lead on 13 mins from a Phil Foden unfastened-kick. Credit has to visit the younger Englishman for the extremely good delivery. But the Leeds defence become all at sea and allowed Rodri to look the ball home.
Speaking as a pundit for Optus Sports, Beckford changed into a ways from inspired with the defending. And he believes there could have been a different final results with Cooper inside the side.
The Leeds skipper picked up a knee injury within the heat-up. Boss Jesse Marsch confirmed after the game it was nothing extreme. He have to return subsequent weekend, however changed into overlooked in opposition to City. Indeed Beckford turned into quick to spotlight it in his post-healthy evaluation.
“The marking you need to asks questions about it,” Beckford said. “Three gamers are preserving the line but the rest are losing deep. That is a massive loss of communication among absolutely everyone.
“I sense that if Liam Cooper was on the sector he would have made certain everyone did the identical element. Whether that’s losing deep or staying excessive.”
Beckford’s grievance of the protecting did now not stop there. While accepting the first aim changed into all the way down to miscommunication, he believes there are too many man or woman errors additionally.
That was on display while Nathan Ake grabbed the second goal on 54 mins. The defender became unfastened to pounce after a Foden nook became nodded down by means of Ruben Dias.
