Liam Cooper explains lack of long-term concern over Leeds United's goalscoring issue

Leeds approach Saturday’s Championship hosting of Queens Park Rangers sat third and just two points behind leaders West Brom but with a lack of goals preventing the Whites from being top of the pile.

United boast the best defence in the division with only eight goals conceded in 14 games yet the netting of just 17 at the other end is the joint worst in the Championship’s top half along with tenth-placed Nottingham Forest who have played a game less.

Cooper, though, says his men remain heartened by the sheer volume of chances created with the skipper anticipating no long term problems in front of goal given the rate of converted opportunities in training.

“We are creating chances so there’s no problem there,” said Cooper.

“We see the lads every day in training, they are scoring goals all the time, they are practicing all the time.

“There is an element of luck in any goal and I think as a team we never really seem to score scruffy goals.

“I’d like to see one go in off someone’s knee or someone’s shoulder or something like that and go in that way.

“But it is what it is and we have every confidence in our front players and our midfielders and our wingers. We know they can all score goals.

“I think (Mateusz) Klich had four or five goals by this point last season but this is football and no game is ever going to be the same.

“I think when we get one we will go and get two and we will go and get three but we have just got to concentrate on getting that goal and maybe take a bit of pressure off.”

Victory against QPR would likely take Leeds top of the division with second-placed Preston North End away at ninth-placed Charlton Athletic on Sunday and leaders West Brom visiting second-bottom Stoke City on Monday night.

Yet only two points separate second to 11th and Cooper expects a stern test against Saturday’s visitors QPR who themselves sit eighth and only two points behind Leeds following a strong start under new boss Mark Warburton.

Cooper warned: “I have played against a few Mark Warburton sides and they are always intense.

“They will come to press and they will come to have a go and we have got to be right from the very first minute.

“We have got to put our stamp on the game, get them pinned in and create chances and keep them out at the other end.

“We have managed to do that so far but each game is so different and you have just got to do what you can in that game and hopefully that will be enough.”