Leeds United confirmed the appointment of Sam Allardyce as their new manager until the end of the season today and the survival specialist will have to pull off something of a miracle if he is going to keep the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League.
Why did Leeds hire Sam Allardyce?
The 4-1 defeat against Bournemouth last weekend was seemingly the final straw for Javi Gracia, who saw his side set a new Premier League record for the most goals conceded in a single month.
Their dreadful run of form has left them hovering dangerously over the relegation places with tough games to come against Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the arrival of Allardyce could just spark some hope among the Leeds fanbase and if he can reconstruct a Leeds defence that has fallen apart in recent weeks, it could just keep them in the top flight.
One man who could be key to that rebuild is captain Liam Cooper, as the centre-back has performed well when called upon this season and has the leadership qualities that could win over Allardyce at Elland Road.
How good has Liam Cooper been this season?
The 31-year-old's 6.66 average rating from WhoScored sees him ranked behind only Pascal Struijk and Max Wober as defenders in Leeds' squad, and yet it is Robin Koch who has been the most consistently called upon centre-back this season.
That said, the skipper is still a key figure behind the scenes, with former manager Jesse Marsch having been full of praise for the Scotland international and his leadership skills during his time at Elland Road.
The American said: “Liam is going to play a big role in the team no matter what. Diego and Robin have done well. I told Liam before yesterday he hasn’t trained much but when he does return from injury, he plays flawlessly.“In terms of mentality, a professional, a leader, he is the best I’ve ever seen. He will be used, he will be needed."
Injuries have meant that the experienced defender has featured just 17 times in the top flight so far this campaign but he impressively ranks first for interceptions, third for clearances and second for blocks per game in Leeds' squad, underlying his willingness to defend and put his body on the line for the club.
No-nonsense centre-backs such as Winston Reid, James Collins and James Tomkins have all featured heavily under Allardyce in his career thus far and Cooper could be the next to prosper under the experienced English manager, becoming that combative force in the backline.
If the captain, who earns £25k-per-week at Elland Road, can rediscover his best form in the final few Premier League games, it could just inspire Allardyce's men to the masterstroke of keeping Leeds in the division.