Liam Cooper was forced to pull out of Sheffield Wednesday’s starting XI for their 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers.
Centre-back Liam Cooper was forced to pull out of Sheffield Wednesday’s starting XI for their 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Hillsborough on Monday night because of a reaction to some medicine.
The former Leeds United defender, who had started each of the last four games prior to the visit of Rovers, was included in the starting XI when the team news was confirmed 75 minutes, starting alongside Gabriel Otegbayo and Dominic Iorfa in the back-three.
However, the club confirmed 45 minutes before kick-off that Cooper had been forced to withdraw from the starting XI, meaning Pedersen had to make a late change, handing a Championship debut to teenager Cole McGhee.
Amid a growing injury list, it was feared Cooper, 34, had become the latest addition to it. Pedersen, though, confirmed after the game that an injury was not the reason behind his sudden withdrawal from the starting XI less than an hour before kick-off.
Pedersen told The Star: “Liam got some medicine, and then he got a reaction from this so he couldn’t play.”
Asked if the medicine was a painkiller-type drug to try and numb a niggling injury or complaint, Pedersen added: “I cannot say. I don’t know exactly what it was.”
McGhee, who had featured for the Owls twice in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, stepped up in Cooper’s absence and did a sterling job on his league debut, helping Wednesday earn a first clean sheet at home in over a year.
On his performance, Pedersen said: I think Cole played a really good game. It was tough for him, and he was very, very tired in the end with all the other boys.
“So yes, be proud of this young man – he did a good game.”
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