Chris Wilder confirms extent of Michael Cooper injury blow after "unique" issue overshadowed build-up to QPR win
Chris Wilder confirms extent of Michael Cooper injury blow after "unique" issue overshadowed build-up to QPR win
Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, has confirmed Michael Cooper's season is over after a "unique" knee injury that will keep him out for the next 12 weeks. The United No.1 was ruled out of this afternoon's trip to QPR after a scan on Thursday revealed the extent of the damage.
Cooper picked up the knee issue before half-time of Wednesday night's defeat to Coventry City and reported for training the following morning with swelling around the area, with a scan subsequently confirming his and United's worst fears.
In his absence Welsh international Adam Davies donned the gloves at Loftus Road for his first start of the Championship season and kept a welcome clean sheet as first-half goals from Callum O'Hare and Tyrese Campbell put United in command.
The Blades were on the right end of a decision for a change in the second half as Richard Kone looked to have pulled one back for the home side from a corner, before the goal was eventually ruled out by a flag from the assistant referee.
Chris Wilder confirms extent of Michael Cooper injury blow after "unique" issue overshadowed build-up to QPR win
United and Cooper have breathed a sigh of relief that the issue doesn't require surgery to fix, which would have risked delaying his recovery even further. But he is still looking at a return in pre-season - meaning that if United are to make a late dash for the play-offs, they will have to do it without their first-choice stopper.
"Coops felt something on Wednesday night and he rocked up Thursday morning with a load of swelling around his knee," boss Wilder confirmed. "He went for a scan and it's a really unique injury, from speaking to the doctor. It was something around the back of his knee.
"Then we've looked back at the footage of the game and we can see what's happened. But it's a unique one, really, and a frustrating one. "But he's out for 12 weeks now, which obviously takes him into pre-season. But he's okay for pre-season, there's no surgery needed. He just needs to rehab, rest and naturally heal."
As well as Cooper Wilder also left out Andre Brooks and Patrick Bamford after injury and illness respectively, while Ki-Jana Hoever was also given a chance to impress at right-back in place of Femi Seriki.
Making the changes that we had to make, sometimes it's the easiest way and the easiest choices to go with the same," Wilder added.
"There were a couple of situations that we think we needed to change up. I'm delighted with the performances of the boys who come into the team, especially Adam, off the back of disappointing news regarding Michael."