LEEDS United manager Garry Monk has defended Liam Cooper over an alleged stamp on Reading FC defender Reece Oxford, insisting it was 'an accident.'

Cooper appeared to stamp on Oxford's head in an off-the-ball incident in the 75th minute of Royals' 1-0 victory at Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

Referee Keith Stroud took no action against centre-back Cooper at the time after consulting with his linesman, with both seemingly unsighted.

But the Football Association are due to look at Stroud's report today and could slap Cooper with a lengthy retrospective ban.

They could also investigate an alleged elbow by Reading defender Tyler Blackett on Leeds striker Chris Wood, another incident which went unpunished on the pitch.

Just last month Bournemouth's Tyrone Mings was suspended for five game for stamping on the head of Manchester United's Ibrahimovic, who was also banned for three game for an earlier elbow on Mings.

Reading Chronicle:

Leeds United defender Liam Cooper.

However, Monk insists Cooper is not the sort of player to purposely stamp on an opponent.

“I didn’t see it but I got told about it afterwards,” stated the Leeds boss.

“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.”

Reading boss Jaap Stam claimed he also missed the alleged stamp but insisted West Ham loanee Oxford hadn't made a meal out of the situation.

“I didn’t see it myself but Reece isn’t the type of player who goes down and stays down,” argued Stam.

“I’ve heard from others that he (Cooper) made a movement to touch him. I don’t know if he did it on purpose and of course he will say he didn’t.”

Saturday's fiery televised clash was settled by Yann Kermorgant's stunning 21st minute strike to earn Royals a second successive Championship victory and clean sheet after a previous 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.

The bad-blooded contest threatened to boil over on a number of occasions and play was stopped twice after Leeds fans threw bottles at Royals keeper Ali Al-Habsi.

There is clearly plenty of bitter rivalry between the two clubs after Stam and Monk became embroiled in a war of words following Reading's 2-0 loss at Elland Road in December.

Reading Chronicle:

Managers Jaap Stam and Garry Monk direct their teams from the touchline on Saturday.

Kermorgant also poured fuel on the flames by suggesting Leeds do not possess a 'plan B' without Wood in the side.

New Zealand international Wood passed a late fitness before Saturday's match but was nullified by Reading's well-drilled defence marshalled by Liam Moore and Blackett.

Royals, who leapfogged Leeds into fourth place, will search for a third straight win on Tuesday night when they host relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers at Madejski Stadium (4pm ko).