'Call us crazy' - Liam Cooper on Leeds United's mindset as Whites await 'different animal' Manchester City

CALL them crazy, but captain Liam Cooper says Leeds United are heading to Manchester City looking for all three points, never mind one.
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United's next Premier League assignment on Saturday lunchtime will come against the division's runaway leaders who are 14 points clear at the top of the table.

Pep Guardiola's all star outfit have won 27 of their last 28 games in league and cup and still have a chance of landing an amazing quadruple of the Premier League, Champions League, EFL Cup and FA Cup.

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Leeds, though, held City to a 1-1 draw in an attacking feast of football in the reverse fixture at Elland Road back in October and Cooper says Marcelo Bielsa's side will stick to their usual mantra of going for the jugular, even against the champions elect.

WE'LL MEET AGAIN: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper, centre, shakes hands with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, right, after October's 1-1 draw at Elland Road. Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images.WE'LL MEET AGAIN: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper, centre, shakes hands with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, right, after October's 1-1 draw at Elland Road. Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images.
WE'LL MEET AGAIN: Leeds United captain Liam Cooper, centre, shakes hands with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, right, after October's 1-1 draw at Elland Road. Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images.

Asked what it would mean to even claim a point against a side who were 14 points clear, Cooper told LUTV: "Some people will call us crazy but we go to win the game, that's what we are renowned for.

"We don't like drawing too many games, we have drawn three games this season.

"We had a good result against them at our place.

"Obviously they are a completely different animal now, they have been unbelievable.

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"Obviously credit goes to Pep and their players, they have been unbelievable all season.

"But now we go there to try and win the game, enjoy it, take in the occasion and enjoy testing yourself against the best players in the league and we look forward to that."

Leeds will head to Etihad sat in 11th place and now up to 42 points following last weekend's 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield United.

The Whites are 16 points clear of the dropzone with eight games left, and have also played one game less than third-bottom Fulham.

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The 40-point marker is generally seen as the maximum amount needed to stay up and Cooper was delighted to pass that haul with a derby day victory against the Blades.

Cooper reasoned: "It was a really good win for us and obviously it was a Yorkshire derby as well and we know how important these games are for the team and our fans and it was nice to get the double over Sheff United this year.

"I know they are not in a great moment themselves but they are still a very tough team to play against, they have a good philosophy of how they want to play and we knew it was never going to be easy so we had to be on top of our game, we had to play well and I thought we did that.

"I thought we could have maybe won by a bigger margin but it wasn't meant to be and we managed to hold on to the 2-1 win.

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"To pass the 40 mark, it's unbelievable the way we have gone about it this season."

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Thank you Laura Collins