'Stand up' - Liam Cooper on reaction of Leeds United fans, Whites anger and fightback plan

Jesse Marsch’s side put themselves on course to finally land a first victory in eight games when Rodrigo headed home the game’s opening goal in the 20th minute but Fulham equalised just six minutes later as Aleksandar Mitrovic easily nodded in from a corner. Both sides then had chances to bag the contest’s third goal but the mood inside Elland Road turned as Fulham bagged it via Bobby Decordova-Reid’s header in the 74th minute.

Chants aimed at both the board and Marsch were belted out from the Elland Road terraces in addition to loud boos before the Cottagers bagged a third goal with six minutes left through Willian. Leeds then pulled a goal back in stoppage time through second-half substitute Crysencio Summerville but the damage had been done as Leeds fell to a sixth defeat from their last eight games, none of which have yielded a victory. United’s home fans again made their feelings clear after both Fulham’s third goal and the full-time whistle, and Cooper said his side could have few complaints with their reaction.

"Rightly so, they are disappointed,” Cooper told post-match media. “This club needs to be winning football games and we’re not doing that at the minute and we’ve got to go get a result from somewhere. We as players have got to stand up and go get a result.”

Asked about the increased pressure on boss Marsch, Cooper admitted: “Of course. We know we are at a big club and you have to take it on the chin and when your backs are against the wall you have got to come out fighting. We’ve got to do that, we need every man inside there to come out and take some responsibility and put this right.”

Cooper also admitted that the nature of all three of Fulham’s goals and in particular Mitrovic’s equaliser were hard to take. All three goals came via set pieces as Leeds slipped into the division’s relegation zone having taken just two points from a last possible 24.

"Frustrated, anger,” said Cooper, giving his thoughts on the result and the performance. "We’re in the ascendency, score the first goal and concede an easy goal. For them, they haven’t had to do much and it’s put in an area and Mitrovic gets the flick at the front stick. We’ve actually been alright at defending set-plays and we’ve not the best today, and we’ve been punished for it and we are just disappointed and angry.”

Third-bottom Leeds are back in action next Saturday evening at Liverpool.