Huge boost: Graham Smyth drops early Leeds team news hint, Marsch will be buzzing - opinion

Graham Smyth has dropped a promising injury update on Leeds United centre-back Liam Cooper ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Arsenal.

In a recent article for the Yorkshire Evening Post, the journalist revealed that Jesse Marsch is optimistic the sensation the defender felt in his knee ahead of the Manchester City loss last weekend is not a serious injury, before going on to state that it is possible the Scotland international plays against Arsenal on Sunday.

Smyth went on to write in his piece: “Cooper has been described at Leeds as the master of getting himself right for matchdays even after a disrupted week of training and if he’s in any way close to contention, he’ll push to be involved in such a big game.”

Should Cooper indeed be deemed fit enough to feature at The Emirates this weekend, it would certainly be an outcome that will have Jesse Marsch and the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

Indeed, while injury has severely limited the 30-year-old’s game time this term, the £6.3m-rated Scot has nevertheless proven his importance to the Whites over his 18 Premier League appearances, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 3.4 clearances and winning 6.9 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.

These returns have seen the £35k-per-week defender average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Leeds’ best performing outfielder in the top flight.

As such, considering just how important the Arsenal fixture is in Leeds’ season – with the Whites currently sitting just two points above the relegation zone – Cooper’s return would undoubtedly come as a huge boost for Marsch, something the 48-year-old manager desperately needs at