Derby County

Norwich City welcome Derby County on Saturday afternoon (15:00 GMT) looking to continue their push for a play-off place after winning two games on the bounce.

The Canaries are eighth, just two points behind the top six, and are trying to win three league games in a row for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, the Rams have suffered seven straight defeats - winning just two of their past 16 games (D3 L11) - and are two points adrift from safety in 22nd.

• After winning the reverse fixture 3-2, Norwich City will be looking to record a first league double over Derby County since the 2010-11 season.

• Derby County have won each of their past three away league games against Norwich City, as many as across their prior 19 visits to Carrow Road combined (D4 L12).

• Norwich have only failed to score in one of their past 27 home league games, while only Leeds United (42) have scored more home goals in the Championship than the Canaries this term (36).

• Derby have lost each of their past seven league games – the most league defeats they've ever suffered in a row is eight, doing so on three occasions, most recently between December 1987 and February 1988 in the top-flight.

• Norwich's Josh Sargent has been involved in nine goals in his past eight Championship starts (5 goals, 4 assists). He also provided two assists in the Canaries 3-2 win over Derby in the reverse fixture.

Image source, Rex Features

Shrewsbury Town head coach Gareth Ainsworth said he has sympathy for Derby County boss Paul Warne after the Rams' poor recent run of form.

Derby have slipped to 22nd in the Championship after seven straight defeats and are two points adrift from safety ahead of their trip to Norwich City on Saturday.

"I can feel what he's going through, I really can, because you get in this sort of whirlwind of you don't know how to get out of it," Ainsworth told the Football Daily 72+ podcast.

"I'm really glad the club have backed him because I know Warney, I managed against him a lot of times and he is a good guy.

"But you can feel in his interviews now that he's getting frustrated. I really feel for him. It's a lonely place when it's like that, it really is."

The Rams made their second signing from Norwegian top-flight side Viking in the transfer window in centre-back Sondre Langas, who followed striker and former team-mate Lars-Jorgen Salvesen to Pride Park.

Defender Matt Clarke also arrived from Middlesbrough, as well as Everton youngster Harrison Armstrong who joined on loan until the end of the season as Derby look to boost their survival hopes following Eiran Cashin's exit to Brighton.

"He's got to be given a chance with these signings," Ainsworth added.

"It's now this new breed of Derby players, especially going forward. They've been OK at the back but they've got to start hurting teams at the other side.

"I'm just hoping the Norwegians coming in, Harrison, who all the talk is about with creation, can they do this for Paul? It's only a step away. Hopefully, he can turn it around."

Listen to the latest episode of Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast on BBC Sounds.

The call went out for Derby County fans to share their views on the Rams' transfer business. And it is fair to say the responses range from scathing to pragmatic.

The word 'disappointed' came up more than a few times, but a few responses have been more positive and some fans feel enough has been done to ensure the squad is good enough to remain in the Championship.

Here is a cross-section of what Derby supporters had to say...

Helen: Disappointed that we were led to believe we would have three more players in as well as the Norwegian centre-back, but it didn't happen. We've not improved only replaced. Not sure what our recruitment team have actually been doing prior and during this transfer window - very poor.

Claire: Disappointed to say the very least. It's like we've been promised a 1kg chocolate bar and been given a Mini Egg.

Tony: Derby's transfer windows always seem to be the same. After all the positive speculation about bringing in new blood at the start, it always ends the same. Average new signings at best and oh - sorry lads - we're selling our best player!

Jeff: We'd better hope that Salvesen and Yates stay fit because they are our only strikers. Most clubs at this level have four or five strikers to choose from. We don't have that luxury, so it will be makeshift. Not sure how we are going to get out of this mess without a number of players who can score.

Tristan: Could have done with another striker, but feel the four we signed should be enough to get us out & stay out of relegation trouble.

Sam: On the whole looks a good window, but considering from where we are starting we look light up front. I still don't think we have the goals or attacking threat to keep us up.

Frank: Very pleased. It would have been good had Cashin been able to be loaned back, like Bird last season. The two central defenders appear to be good replacements. Ozoh back, Armstrong in, and Salvesen up front, the continuing heroics of Zetterstrom and we have a good spine.

John: Disappointing not to add more pace to the team - surely there are rapid youngsters at Premier League clubs who we could have loaned?

Chris: Disappointed with lack of players in. We are pretty well on bare bones with injuries. So many hamstring issues, why? On a positive front, faith in team to pull us out of bottom three even if we finish fourth from bottom and stay in Championship that has to be the priority.

Bob: Very poor window. I wish Armstrong well and am sure he's a good player, but can he deal with a relegation scrap and Warne-ball? Still woefully short of quality, and a Championship-savvy manager.

Lee: Nailed on for relegation! That was our last hope and we blew it!

David: The sale of our best player, key defender and future captain Cashin was a big disappointment, especially on the back of the recent loss of his centre-back partner to a season-ending injury.

On a more positive note we made three good additions in important areas, two in central defence and one striker, the latter being our key weakness this season.

It's likely that our current predicament was a key factor in our failing to add more bodies but at least we did not resort to throwing money at the problem and should have some decent money to hand still from the net spend over the window.

Paul: Derby are just moving the deckchairs on the Titanic, as they are badly holed below the line and sinking fast.

These transfers will not solve the position they are in, only a change in manager or change in the trench mentality of the manager will solve the issue.

Image source, Getty Images

It's time to talk about Derby County's transfer business...

The Rams turned their attention to Norway for two of their signings, signing striker Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and defender Sondre Langas from Viking.

Centre-back Matt Clarke has been brought back for a third spell at Pride Park and, on transfer deadline day, teenager Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong was also recruited on loan.

Langas and Armstrong were two who arrived after Derby sold star defender Eiran Cashin to Premier League side Brighton for £9m on Friday evening – a sale that had appeared to give Derby's coffers a significant boost.

Injuries and Derby's lowly position in the Championship table had appeared to make it a critical transfer window if they are to battle their way to safety.

So, tell us what you think about the Rams' transfer dealings?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Everton teenager Harrison Armstrong is set to head out on loan to Championship strugglers Derby County.

The 18-year-old has broken into the Toffees first team this season, making six appearances, including an impressive showing in the FA Cup third round victory over Peterborough.

Everton sources feel a loan move for Armstrong will provide some valuable first-team experience for the England youth international.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

By 5pm on Saturday evening, Derby County had equalled an unwanted record.

Seven straight league defeats for the first time since that Premier League season in 2007-08 in which they registered a record low 11 points.

By November 2007 it was clear that Billy Davies' team were woefully down on the levels of quality needed to compete in the top flight.

He was sacked and replaced by Paul Jewell whose tenure then presided over a further 21 league defeats and a penalty shootout win over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup.

That season the Rams lost seven in a row before Christmas and six in a row at the end of the campaign. It was woeful and forgettable.

Seventeen years later it is still the butt of all jokes as Southampton scrape towards that 11-point mark in the current Premier League.

Everyone accepted during that season that Derby had got promoted too soon amid a three year plan completed in the first season by the new owners and Davies.

The squad was inadequate in ability and had an age range of players in their teens to mid-thirties.

A Premier League squad it wasn't - and the big money incomings of Claude Davies, Rob Earnshaw and Kenny Miller didn't reap rewards.

Now in 2025, the Rams have rivalled the record of that car crash campaign.

Seven straight defeats in the Championship in a series of matches that have come and gone leaving fans scratching their heads.

It is a similar narrative of obvious deficiencies punished by differing levels of opposition quality.

During the defeat by Sheffield United, some of the supporters made clear their standpoint of what they were witnessing.

Even new arrival Matt Clarke struggled to straight bat the atmosphere he stepped into at Pride Park.

He was excellent in defence and fitted in well to the 100% commitment we've seen from the players for the majority of this run.

Derby head to Norwich City on Saturday looking to avoid another record.

The last time they lost eight league games in a row was 1987 under Arthur Cox; Derby stuck with him throughout and they survived finishing 15th, a point above the bottom four.

Before that it was 1888, four years before Steve Bloomer made his Rams debut.

What they'd give for a hero like him now!

BBC Radio Derby commentator Ed Dawes says watching the Rams is "depressing" following their 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday.

The defeat, sealed by Ben Brereton Diaz's first goal in his second spell for the Blades, left the Rams in the Championship relegation places, with fans voicing their displeasure during the second-half and at full-time towards head coach Paul Warne.

"Derby didn't really cause them any issues," Dawes said on Rams Daily following the club's seventh consecutive league defeat.

"It's seven straight league defeats, playing the same way, no change up, different personnel.

"If you take the [FA Cup third-round defeat on penalties by] Leyton Orient, that's eight games in a row - how can that continue?

"The product is no good, it's depressing people. They [the fans] sang it in the South Stand and they're doing that at home and everyone's here, the Chief Executive, the owner.

"The fans have spoken- they need to be listened to."

Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder offered a message of support to under-pressure Derby head coach Paul Warne after his side inflicted a seventh successive Championship defeat on the Rams.

Wilder walked into the post-match press conference at Pride Park and went straight into talking about his rival boss following the narrow win.

Saturday's loss has the Rams on their worst run for 17 years, third from bottom in the table and two points from safety.

"What I will say is when you're a manager, you want to see your players play for the club, play for the manager and give it a right go and I thought all the Derby players did for Paul," he said.

"Paul is a good guy and he deserves the support. It's not my gig but that's my view from externally.

"Obviously it's a difficult period for Derby and Paul. We've watched the games and they could quite easily have got a result against Sunderland, could have got a result in two or three other of their games as well.

"They could have got a result today because they gave everything for their manager.

"They've lost their best player [Eiran Cashin, who was sold to Brighton] and are looking to bring players in and they're incredibly stretched. If you look at their bench, it was pretty similar to ours in terms of when we were stretched."

Warne came out to speak to the print media shortly after Wilder and addressed the huge pressure he is under, saying he will continue to work as normal "until told otherwise".

Image source, PA Media

Derby County head coach Paul Warne spoke to BBC Radio Derby after the Rams were beaten 1-0 at home by Sheffield United.

"I'm hugely disappointed, as everybody is, and I'm well aware of the situation," he said.

"But I can't really knock my team for the efforts they are giving me. And it's our job as coaches to get as much out of the lads as we can. I'm disappointed we lost, because we only conceded one shot in the second half.

"But we are in that form at the moment where we don't take any half-chances that we get, and any we concede seem to go in. That is what my overriding emotion is.

"I just think at the moment that this performance, as an independent performance, wouldn't have been as disappointing. But its on the back of loads of poor results, I understand that.

"I do believe in it [being able to turn Derby around] and if I didn't I wouldn't stand there."

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Eiran Cashin's departure from Derby County sees another academy graduate leave the club with hopes to make a Premier League living.

Brighton's gain is Derby's loss with a huge hole left by the 23-year-old heart on the sleeve individual.

He has literally bled black and white ever since making his full debut under Wayne Rooney in 2021.

Back then administration and Covid outbreaks meant Cashin was needed in the first team, but because of various EFL rules set out through administration, Derby were unable to register him.

Rooney's faith in the youngster saw him make 18 Championship appearances at the age of 19.

From that moment on his allegiance to the cause has never been in question, he's grown into an experienced central defender who's developed his game from head it and kick, to play out from the back and switch play effortlessly.

When Brighton first came knocking in the summer of 2023 it turned his head.

He missed the away defeat at Bolton in September because he had been waiting in a Little Eaton coffee shop in case a deal with the Seagulls could be reached.

It wasn't and he reached the team hotel in the north west at 2am.

Since then he celebrated promotion from League One as a main stay of Paul Warne's side that finished second in the table.

Like the majority of his team-mates, the return to the Championship has not been as comfortable as hoped.

His tears after the Cardiff City game recently led to speculation of a departure.

For him a move to Brighton is a sensible option with Derby in a relegation battle.

His stock might not be as high in League One, should that fate fall their way.

His personal ambition to play in the Premier League is an unselfish dream to which every fan should support.

Image source, Getty Images

Derby County are closing in on a deal for Viking centre-back Sondre Langas.

It has been reported that the fee for Langas will be around £4m, although sources have told BBC Radio Derby that the rumoured price may not be accurate.

The Norway international played all 90 minutes in 26 of the Norwegian side's 30 Eliteserien games last season and will help to soften the blow if Rams defender Eiran Cashin departs for Brighton.

If Derby do sign Langas, he will be the second defender to join their ranks this winter alongside Middlesbrough's Matt Clarke, with the Rams battling for survival in the Championship.

Derby County need to find a way to "grind out results" and make themselves "hard to beat" to get out of relegation trouble, says former Rams goalkeeper and coach Eric Steele.

The 70-year-old, who also previously worked on the coaching staff at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, has been talking to BBC East Midlands Today about the battle for survival that Paul Warne's side find themselves in after six straight league defeats.

"Paul Warne will be getting a great rallying call at the moment, and he has got to because his job is on the line and the rest of his staff are on the line," Steele said.

"The biggest thing is you have to be hard to beat and that, I don't think, has been the case.

"That is the first thing you do when you are in a crisis. Can you actually grind out results? Then hopefully that momentum builds.

"I hear a lot of doom and gloom, but there is still enough time. But it has to happen in the next two or three weeks because there is a great saying in football that losing becomes a habit and winning becomes a habit. And they need to get that winning habit back again."

How quickly defender Matt Clarke and striker Lars-Jorgen Salvesen get used to being at Derby and the battle they find themselves in will also be critical, according to Steele.

"They need goals from somewhere, and Salvesen has come in scored against Cardiff and looks this big strong leader. A lot is being asked of him," he added.

"Warne will be saying to [wingers] Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Corey Blackett-Taylor 'you must now deliver balls into the box'.

"Matt Clarke is a good signing, he has been at the club and knows what the club is about."

The return of midfielder David Ozoh is also seen as another major positive for a side that has struggled to create scoring opportunities this season.

"We are lacking a midfield player, we need a controller," Steele said.

"Ozoh's back. Will he stay fit? We hope he does because he had a really good five or six games influencing that midfield, the link between defence and attack.

"If we can get one or two more bodies in, I'm hoping that will be enough."

You can read more from Steele on Derby's relegation battle here.

Brighton are closing on the signing of Derby defender Eiran Cashin after agreeing a fee with the Rams. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

Image source, Rex Features

Derby County forward Dajaune Brown could miss the rest of the season as he needs hamstring surgery.

The 19-year-old academy graduate has made 15 Championship appearances for the Rams this season, although his only three starts, and his lone league goal came before Christmas.

He is one of several injury headaches for head coach Paul Warne ahead of Sheffield United's trip to Pride Park on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Warne told BBC Radio Derby: "Daj has to have an operation on his hamstring so he's going to be out for a long period.

"Corey Blackett-Taylor (hamstring) is out for a lengthy period - we won't see him for a long period."

Full-back Kane Wilson is also set to miss his second game with a hamstring strain sustained against Sunderland while Warne reported "Callum Elder has tweaked his groin so we won't be missing him too long - days or weeks, definitely not months."

New arrival Matt Clarke, who signed this week from Middlesbrough, is in contention to start in defence but while Nat Phillips (calf) has started running, he won't be back in full training until next week.

Derby County have slipped into the relegation zone and are seeking to avoid their longest losing run in nearly 17 years when they welcome promotion-chasing Sheffield United to Pride Park on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Blades could overhaul leaders Leeds with a win, while only a win would give the Rams a chance of escaping the bottom three this weekend.

• Derby County have lost three of their past four league games against Sheffield United (W1), though all three defeats came away from home at Bramall Lane.

• Sheffield United have lost each of their past two away league games against Derby County and will be looking to avoid losing three in succession for the first time since January 2004.

• Derby have lost each of their past six league games in succession, while the Rams last endured a longer losing streak between April and August 2008.

• Sheffield United have lost three of their past seven league games (W3 D1), more defeats than across their opening 22 matches this season combined (W15 D5 L2).

• The average age of Derby's starting XI in the Championship this season is 28 years and four days; the oldest of any team in the division. Sheffield United, meanwhile, have the third-youngest starting XI on average (24y 336d).