Liam Cooper is facing a spell on the sidelines, after the Leeds United skipper was forced from the field during Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.  

Leeds won the game despite playing over an hour without the centre-back, but the news he could be out for six weeks is a concern, not just for Millwall this weekend, but beyond.

Gaetano Berardi is the prime candidate to replace him on the left of the centre-backs, but Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips, Leif Davis and Pascal Struijk are all options for Marcelo Bielsa to be considering.

This weekend against Millwall will offer us an insight into the coach’s thoughts, but there will undoubtedly be winners and losers within the squad over Cooper’s spell on the sidelines.

With that in mind, we take a look at ONE player who will benefit from his setback, and ONE who will find it slightly frustrating…

Winner: Gaetano Berardi

Berardi is very much the third centre-back behind Cooper and Ben White, with the Swiss defender stepping into the side whenever there is a problem with Bielsa’s first-choice duo.

He will play against Millwall, as his competition is either more comfortable at full-back or young.

That gives him the chance to retain a place long-term and go some way to making up for his sending off in the play-offs last season.

The undoubted winner.

Loser: Kalvin Phillips

Phillips will play in central midfield or as the third centre-back, just like he would if Cooper were fit.

However, there’s added responsibility on him to drop into the defence to add extra height, which might lessen his role as Leeds’ deep-lying playmaker.

He will take it all in his stride, but Bielsa can’t afford to let this setback give him an overload of work to get through.

He’s so important and needs to be used in the right way.

Asking him to compete with Matt Smith in the air at the weekend might be something Bielsa does, but it worries you as to what it’d do to the rest of his game.

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