Leeds have made a solid start to life in the Premier League, amassing 23 points from their opening 17 games and are sitting comfortably in mid-table in 12th in the standings.
Avoiding relegation remains the primary focus for Leeds in their first season back in the Premier League and they have done well to keep themselves away from the quagmire of the drop zone.
But Cooper stressed that Leeds are in their own mini-league in the bottom half of the table, some way away from the top sides.
He insisted that it is essential that Leeds keep performing well against sides in and around them in the league table such as their opponents this Saturday, Brighton.
The Leeds captain said on LUTV: “In a sense, you are in your own little league.
“Obviously there is the top six, but the truth of the matter is we have got to beat the teams around us.
“We have managed to do that, but we know how difficult and how important these games are.
“We will go out there, we will be us, we will be on the front foot and high energy and hopefully that will get us a positive result.”
Leeds have beaten teams such as Newcastle, Burnley and West Brom but have also tasted defeat against Crystal Palace, as they look to stay well clear of the drop zone.
