Leeds United's Liam Cooper faces four-game ban after stamping charge

Cooper is looking at a long suspension after being cited by the FA over a second-half incident at the Madejski Stadium.

The centre-back caught Oxford in the face with a boot as the defender lay on the ground on the edge of his own box following a Leeds corner on 75 minutes.

Cooper went unpunished by referee Keith Stroud, who spoke with one of his assistants and took no action, but the clash was referred to the FA’s disciplinary department and the governing body has charge the 25-year-old with misconduct. He has until 6pm tonight to respond but face a four-game ban.

Cooper, who has been preparing with Garry Monk’s squad for tonight’s Championship game at Brentford, is set to be hit with a ban which would rule him out of much of the run-in.

Bournemouth full-back Tyrone Mings was suspended for five games last month for a stamp on Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Leeds have seven matches of the regular Championship season remaining.

Monk spoke out in defence of Cooper on Saturday, saying: “I didn’t see it but I got told about it afterwards. You know as well as me that Liam’s 100 per cent not that type of lad. He’s not in any way that type of player.

“With my opinion of Liam, it’ll definitely be an accident and one that he didn’t mean to do. He’s 100 per cent not like that.”

Cooper will be asked to respond with a plea by the close of business this evening.