Derby County

Derby County welcome Coventry City on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) for a meeting between two sides with different ambitions at each end of the Championship table.

The Rams are desperately battling to stay up and are four points adrift of safety in 22nd after ending a 12-game winless run with a 2-1 victory over Blackburn on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Sky Blues are the form team in the division, winning nine of their past 10 games to lift themselves to fifth and three points ahead of Bristol City in seventh as they push for a play-off berth.

• After winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in November, Derby County will be looking to record a first league double over Coventry City since the 2009-10 season.

• Coventry City have failed to win any of their past nine away league games against Derby County (D6 L3), since a 3-1 victory in October 2003.

• Derby are winless in their previous three midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (D1 L2), failing to score in both of the previous two.

• Coventry have won each of their past four away league games; only in December 2012 in the third tier have the Sky Blues enjoyed a longer winning run on their travels in the EFL (six games).

• Coventry have only lost two of their past 18 away league games against newly promoted opposition (W11 D5), a 2-1 defeat at Ipswich last season and 4-1 loss to Portsmouth this term.

"I think it's a good game to have. I'd rather be playing Coventry on Tuesday then going up against somebody in the bottom three, bottom four – we've got that to come.

"So, its really good that we can build that momentum.

"For the first time, Eustace can say, 'look, all the work that we've been doing on the training ground, we've seen the benefit today by getting that victory and it was the manner of the victory that's important as much as the result.'"

Colin Gibson is joined by former Derby County goalkeeper Eric Steele and ex-Rams striker Malcolm Christie to discuss Derby County's run-in until the end of the season following their first win of the calendar year.

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Derby came into this one desperately needing a result to end their losing streak.

Three games since John Eustace came in as manager, and three losses in that time, meant the visit of the club he left to join the Rams was no longer just about bragging rights, hopes of Championship survival were now also on the line.

Pride Park was a cauldron of noise before kick-off. The build up to this one had been fiery to say the least, with both sets of fans dishing out plenty of fighting talk via social media and in the stadium prior to kick-off.

The 3,000-plus travelling Blackburn Rovers fans turning up with inflatable snakes to taunt their former boss was the catalyst for the way the atmosphere would play out for the remainder of the afternoon.

Setting up with a back five allowed Derby to be more creative and provide more of an attacking threat down the channels, something which had been lacking in previous matches.

And boy did it prove effective. Just seven minutes in, the Rams found themselves in dreamland.

A combination of poor defensive play from Blackburn, paired with fight, determination and desire from Derby, saw goals come like buses for the Rams.

No goals at home since Boxing Day, and just like that two had come along at once, taking the roof off Pride Park in the process.

Despite getting a goal back before half-time, through the hard-to-handle Makhtar Gueye, Blackburn struggled to create enough to trouble the Derby goal.

The final whistle felt like it took centuries to arrive, and the additional seven minutes of added time wasn't news that was welcomed by the home fans.

After being punished several times late on throughout the season, it felt like history may repeat itself for the Rams as the players began to understandably tire.

Bitten nails, sweaty palms, and screams of "CLEAR IT!" took over Pride Park for seven long minutes. And, eventually, ecstasy.

A win that was not only needed to build confidence and end a terrible run of form, but one that felt crucial, knowing all the other teams in the bottom five had lost.

Derby were up to 22nd in the table from 24th, and closed the gap to safety to only four points. The survival dream, which felt crushed last weekend after defeat at Boro, felt alive once more.

A man of the match performance from Harrison Armstrong in the defensive midfield role, in which he oozed class from minute one to 90, and a welcome return to the starting XI for Kane Wilson, who carried bags full of attacking threat all afternoon, were two big positives to take forward into midweek for the Rams.

Tuesday's match will see another tale of a manager returning to their former club - this time Frank Lampard returns to Pride Park for the first time since his tenure at Derby in the 2018-19 season.

Derby now need to take some momentum and confidence forward into next week, which ends with a huge game at the bottom of the table away at Plymouth Argyle next Saturday.

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after overseeing his first win as Rams boss, a 2-1 victory against former club Blackburn Rovers.

"This is the reason I came to the football club today - the fans were unbelievable, they were our 12th man," Eustace sad. "You can see what it's like when this place gets going and I was proud to be standing there as the head coach.

"It was about the team today. We had a difficult week - with three players (Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, Ryan Nyambe and Ben Osborn) who would have started but were injured through the week - and the group turned up yesterday and we had a new game plan.

"It's obviously an emotional day for everyone and it was a great effort by the fans, the players - this is the Derby County family and whatever happens from now until the end of the season we're going to build something special.

"I'm just glad we won a football game, it doesn't matter who it was against because it was really important that we show everyone that we are fully committed and want to do well for this football club."

Former Derby County midfielder Jeff Hendrick is training with the club and set to play a part in their battle to avoid relegation from the Championship.

The 33-year-old has been without a club since being released by Newcastle United at the end of last season having finished the campaign on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

Rams head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby having Hendrick in the ranks was a "real plus" because "he knows the club inside-out".

"He was here when I was playing, as well, and I know the kind of character he is so I think he will help the dressing room between now and the end of the season," Eustace said.

Hendrick made 12 appearances for Wednesday last season but has not played a game of first-team football since 1 April 2024.

The Republic of Ireland international started his career with Derby and played more than 200 matches before joining Burnley for £10.5m in 2016.

"He's looked great in training but he's a very fit and athletic lad and looks no different to when I played with him," added Eustace.

"He hasn't played any games at all for the past year and is doing a small pre-season so we want to get him involved as much as he can and hopefully next week he'll be part of the group.

Eustace called Hendrick "a leader in the way he talks and conducts himself" and said he "will drive the standards between now and the end of the season".

Derby host Eustace's former club, Blackburn Rovers, in the Championship on Saturday looking for their first win under the new head coach since he left Ewood Park for Pride Park last month.

Derby County boss John Eustace welcomes some familiar faces to Pride Park on Saturday as they host his former side Blackburn Rovers.

Eustace departed promotion-chasing Rovers in February to take helm of the Rams as they look to escape relegation.

But Derby have yet to claim any points under their new boss and he'll be hoping to pick up his first against a side he knows all too well.

• Derby County have lost each of their last five league games against Blackburn Rovers, conceding exactly three goals on average per defeat.

• Blackburn Rovers have won their last two away league games against Derby County, as many wins as across their prior 12 visits to face the Midlands outfit (D4 L6).

• Derby County have lost 10 of their last 12 Championship matches (D2) and are the only side in the division without a victory in 2025 (D2 L9).

• Blackburn manager Valerien Ismael has faced Derby four times previously, beating them in his first game against them in November 2020 with Barnsley but he's since gone three in a row without seeing his side score a goal against the Rams (D2 L1).

• John Eustace has lost all three of his Championship matches as Derby manager so far, having joined from Blackburn in February. No Rams manager has ever lost each of his first four league games in charge.

"Whilst it's still possible, I'll always say that there's a chance and I'm confident in us - but it is getting progressively more and more hard to have that hope as the games go on."

Dominic Dietrich is joined by Derby County fans Callum Boocock and Amelia Warren as they take a look at the Rams' remaining 11 games.

Here are their upcoming fixtures until the end of the season:

• Blackburn Rovers (H)

• Coventry City (H)

• Plymouth Argyle (A)

• Preston North End (H)

• Swansea City (A)

• Burnley (H)

• Portsmouth (A)

• Luton Town (H)

• West Bromwich Albion (A)

• Hull City (A)

• Stoke City (H)

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

"The only hunger I saw out there at the Riverside was the seagulls that appeared in the 100th minute. Once all the crowd went, those seagulls descended on all the stands.

"If the Derby County team showed as much hunger as those seagulls, we'd be all right."

Dominic Dietrich and Ed Dawes are joined by former Derby striker Malcolm Christie to discuss the Rams hitting rock bottom of the Championship.

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

After Derby County dropped to the bottom of the Championship table, we asked Rams supporters for their views on the club's chances of survival with 11 matches remaining.

Derby's dire run of 10 defeats in a 12-game winless league run - in which they have managed to score just four goals - has apparently left fans with little hope.

Below is a selection of what supporters had to say...

Simo: The season is over. I just can't see Derby collecting any more points let alone stringing a set of results together. So much optimism before the season began - however, for whatever reason, it's turned into one to forget. Start making plans for League One as we aren't getting out of this mess any time soon.

Les: I'm resigned to relegation sadly.

Paul: Mathematically it is still possible, so there is still hope. In reality, though, I cannot see it happening. Individual defensive errors and a total lack of ability to score mean we will struggle to win another game. Even if we cut out the defensive errors you can't win games if you don't score. Perhaps Kemar Roofe will find a way, but I doubt it. My heart hopes we do survive but my head says we'll be relegated... but League One champions next season?

John: If we can manage 10 points from our next four games, we may have a chance. It's a big ask...but a needed one with the safety gap now four points. We can't rely on the others dropping points.

Kris: Still a lot to play for but the lack of confidence is ruining the side at the very first concession - it's like watching the ill-fated Premier League side [2007-08] again in that respect. Plenty of sides in the mix, and we only need to be above three of them come May, but if Mr Clowes doesn't get the level of investment we need to be competitive in this ever-improving Championship then we'd only be delaying the inevitable if we were to escape the drop. We go on in hope rather than expectation.

Ginge: Can't see where the next win is coming from. These remaining games are do or die. Need a win and a win fast, got to be more aggressive towards the opposition and get stuck in.

Rob: Thoughts at the start of the season was happy with fourth bottom, this could now be best case scenario! Main confusion lies with how we have gone from convincing wins, especially against Bristol City and Portsmouth, to apparently being devoid of talent, goals or confidence, in [the space of] a quarter of a season.

Chris: Confidence is lacking across the board. Unless we get a goal soon it's going to be a struggle to avoid relegation. Injuries have hindered us without a doubt but other teams have their woes. We badly need investment so we can compete with our peers at least. I m resigned to relegation happening, unless we get a miracle. But I'll still support my team.

Harry: Relegation is inevitable at this point, we offer no attacking threat in the final third. I think if we do go down, we need to invest and rebuild the team for the long-term goals of promotion next season and keeping Championship status after that.

Dom: We have the players and the manager to stay up, and the teams around us aren't pulling up trees either. But the confidence doesn't look to be there, and our goalscoring record is atrocious. I'll be amazed if we avoid relegation.

Dave: The squad simply isn't good enough for the Championship. Those who think it is or who think we will stay up need to have a word with themselves. The midfield, in particular, is too slow and lacks creativity - a total overhaul is needed in the summer. I suspect we will be in League One for a while, unfortunately.

Andy: Not enough talent, not enough fight. We'll finish bottom. Hopefully keep Eustace so he can pay the fans back on his promises.

Derby County's defeat by Middlesbrough on Saturday was their 10th loss in a 12-game winless Championship run that has left them bottom of the table.

It is the first time they have sunk to the foot of the standings since returning to England's second tier this season.

The loss brought with it expected words of defiance from head coach John Eustace - whose clear disappointment in the loss was mixed in with talk of the "fantastic attitude" of his players.

But nothing distracts from the fact the Rams are now on their worst winless run since their disastrous Premier League campaign of 2007-08 when they went 36 games without a victory from September 2007 until August the following year.

And it can still get worse this week, as sides scrapping with them at the bottom of the table - Hull City and Plymouth Argyle - face one another on Tuesday, capable of pulling away further from the beleaguered Rams.

So, with Derby at a new low - and at risk of sinking deeper into the mire - can you see a way to salvation?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

After last week's last-minute heartbreak against Millwall, Derby were unable to turn their terrible run of form around against Middlesbrough.

Once again, the Rams looked second best all afternoon and, other than an early shot from Ebou Adams which stung the palms of Mark Travers, there were very few other moments to get the respectable number of travelling Derby fans excited.

The 1-0 defeat at The Riverside was Derby's third defeat in as many games since John Eustace took charge, leaving many fans questioning owner David Clowes and chief executive Stephen Pearce.

Fans want to know why previous manager Paul Warne wasn't provided with better player recruitment during the summer and January transfer windows.

And also why the decision to sack Warne came after the January window had ended, leaving new man Eustace to inherit a threadbare squad of players which many fans feel is simply not good enough to compete in the Championship, and doesn't suit his playing style.

Despite now being rock-bottom of the Championship table, fans are finding it even tougher to take knowing that fixtures such as Plymouth Argyle at home, Millwall at home last weekend and Luton Town away have seen Derby drop several points from winning and drawing positions.

Games you feel could've been seen out if we ultimately had better quality players on the pitch.

A frustration which reared its head once again on Saturday as another individual error cost us a crucial point in the fight for survival.

Without injuries to crucial players like Curtis Nelson, Kane Wilson and David Ozoh, you do wonder whether the Rams may have been able to grind out a few more results to push them away from the drop.

It now feels like if midweek games go against us and we fail to win against Blackburn on Saturday, relegation is all but confirmed.

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

Derby County head coach John Eustace says he was pleased with his side's attitude in their 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough.

The defeat saw the Rams drop to the bottom of the Championship having not won in 12 matches.

It is their worst winless run since their disastrous Premier League campaign of 2007-08 when they went 36 games without a win from September 2007 until August the following year.

"I'm very disappointed. I felt, second half, Middlesbrough didn't cause us any problems, and the manner we conceded the goal wasn't good enough," he told BBC Radio Derby.

"It's tough job, it is what it is, but I'm here to help, I'm here to progress the club.

"I thought, first half, we had a couple of real good chances on the break and our final pass wasn't good enough.

"It's stuff that we've been working on in the last couple of weeks, so that will come, that will keep improving.

"I was really pleased with the group again, the attitude was fantastic and just very disappointed that we lost."

Derby County head coach John Eustace is convinced the Rams are capable of "something special" in their increasingly desperate fight to avoid relegation from the Championship.

Derby have lost 10 matches in a 12-game winless run across all competitions since late December and are just one point and one place above rock-bottom Luton Town.

While Eustace has overseen two defeats since his arrival as Rams boss, and is yet to see his side score a goal, he says his players are "desperate to do well" for the club.

"Even in the game against Millwall [a 1-0 defeat], if we got that lucky break, I think the whole place is ready to erupt," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

"The fans are right behind the team, the staff, the players. As soon as we get that goal, that first win, I can really see something special happening."

Keep up with the latest on Derby County by listening to the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

The Riverside will play host to a game with interest at both ends of the table as Derby visit Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Boro stopped the rot after five straight league defeats with a 3-1 win at Stoke in midweek and are still only four points behind fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion, despite having briefly slipped into the bottom-half last weekend.

The Rams are winless since Boxing Day and have scored just two goals in their past nine games to slide to second-bottom, four points from safety.

• Middlesbrough have won just two of their past nine league games against Derby County (D4 L3), though both victories in that time have come at the Riverside Stadium.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in August, Derby County are looking to record a first league double over Middlesbrough since the 1988-89 season.

• Middlesbrough have lost their past two home league games, last losing three in a row at the Riverside Stadium in April 2022.

• Derby have failed to win any of their past 11 league games, suffering nine defeats in that time (D2). They last had a longer run between September 2007 and August 2008 (36 games).

• Derby have failed to score in each of their past three league games, last having a longer run without a goal in March 2021 (4).

Derby boss John Eustace says he needs a settled team to make things easier as the Rams battle against relegation from the Championship.

Eustace has lost the services of midfielder David Ozoh for the rest of the season and will also be missing defender Matt Clarke for this weekend's game at Middlesbrough.

"Matt came off last week at an important time and will be touch and go for the weekend although it's not as bad as we initially thought so we'll wait and see," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

Derby have lost both games since Eustace replaced Paul Warne as boss earlier this month and are now second from bottom of the table.

"Once we get a settled team it will be a lot easier but when you're losing players from the two games we've had already it is difficult and challenging," Eustace added.

"I know when we win that first game there will be a real buzz about the place.

"If we don't win in the next couple of games there's no problems, we'll be very competitive to the end of the season and go on a run of games where we get results."

Keep up with the latest on Derby County by listening to the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.