Derby County

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Six wins and two draws in Derby County's past 10 matches under John Eustace have taken the Rams out of the Championship relegation zone to within 90 minutes of safety.

Before that, the majority of Eustace's season was spent in charge of Blackburn Rovers, who were sixth when the Englishman left in February to take up the Rams managerial role after Paul Warne's dismissal.

It means Eustace has accrued 65 points from 44 league matches this season between his two jobs at clubs that have each been tipped for relegation at some point since the 2024-25 campaign began.

That points-per-game rate would have seen him firmly in the play-off fight - if it had been done with one team.

Together, his achievements should have earned the Rams head coach consideration for the Championship manager of the year award, according to ex-Derby striker Malcolm Christie.

Is that an overreaction? A bout of recency bias?

Or was Eustace overlooked for the division's top managerial award because his work has been split between two clubs, one which is still bidding for promotion and another that now has its fate back in its own hands?

It's time to have your say...

• Are you happy with the job Eustace has done so far at Derby?

• If the Rams stay up, do you think his achievements this season - at Pride Park and Ewood Park - should have put him in the conversation for Championship manager of the year?

• What are your realistic expectations, or way-too-early predictions, for Derby next season?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Derby County boss John Eustace should "absolutely" have been in the conversation for Championship manager of the year if the Rams avoid relegation, according to former striker Malcolm Christie.

Eustace has won 65 points from 44 Championship matches this season with Derby and previous club Blackburn Rovers, who were in promotion-chasing sixth place upon his departure in February and have since slipped to eighth.

Following three consecutive losses after Eustace's appointment at Pride Park, a run of six wins and two draws in his past 10 matches has dragged Derby out of the drop zone with one game remaining.

Now 19th in the table with a superior goal difference to the other relegation-threatened teams, the Rams will live to fight another day in English football's second tier by matching the final-day results of Preston, Luton or Hull City.

Together with his exploits at Blackburn, who were tipped for relegation before the season began after narrowly avoiding the drop last year, that would be viewed by some as sufficient achievement to have earned Eustace consideration for the Championship coaching award recently won by Burnley manager Scott Parker.

Responding to a fan comment proposing as much, ex-Derby forward Christie told the Rams Daily podcast: "We're incredibly biased, but he's my manager of the season for sure.

"What he's done, the transformation in everything. The way I feel about this team has changed tremendously. If you go back through old Rams Daily episodes, some of the performances under [former Derby, now MK Dons manager] Paul Warne were horrible.

"There was no hope, nothing we felt we could grasp hold of, we weren't organised without the ball, teams were creating too many chances against us. It got me thinking about how much better, and how much [more] confidence I feel around what John Eustace is trying to do."

Christie continued: "Of course we can all get carried away a little but if we stay in the league, thinking about the potential for next season with the squad he's got at the moment, what could he do with a really good recruitment drive behind him and a full summer to work with these players as well? It's fantastic - I think it's really remarkable what he's done with the transformation of the team, the structure, the tactics.

"Every game I'm seeing little tactic nuances coming in and the way John is doing that, based on what the opposition are good at, it's brilliant.

"I think John prefers the game not to be exciting - for us that's fine, as long as we get the result out of it."

Listen to the latest episode of the Rams Daily podcast with Christie, Dominic Dietrich and Ed Dawes in full.

"We know that we have it in our locker to find a way in moments when we're under pressure. We just found a way to win and thank God we did."

Dominic Dietrich, Ed Dawes and Malcolm Christie dissect Derby's crucial 1-0 victory at relegation rivals Hull City which saw the Rams climb out of the relegation zone with one match of the season remaining.

The episode also includes post-match interviews with head coach John Eustace and Saturday's match-winner Nat Phillips.

Listen to the full post-match reaction and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, PA Media

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after his side snatched a crucial 1-0 victory against relegation rivals Hull City.

"I'm just very proud of the efforts, the boys were outstanding again today. It was a fantastic result," Eustace said.

"Since I've been here this group of players has been written off time after time, but we just keep going and keep fighting.

"The Championship is relentless, you can't get carried away with the highs and the lows. It's an emotional time for everyone and you just have to keep cool and I thought the way the lads performed today was excellent."

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

A player who has received his fair share of criticism among Derby fans this season is Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

The Guatemalan has put in a couple of notable performances - arguably his best of the season came against Portsmouth at Pride Park, where the Rams ran out 4-0 winners.

He was also taking many of Derby's unique, yet highly successful, corners at the beginning of the campaign, which accounted for just over 30% of the Rams' goal tally in the first 10 matches, allowing him to be deemed a real asset in the side.

However, things quickly petered out for the winger.

It seemed as though he'd suddenly lost a yard of pace, combined with the fact the standard of full-backs in this division is of course much higher than League One, making much less room for error for an attacker looking to beat their man.

With this, and a couple of knocks to halt his momentum, the 33-year-old's confidence soon dropped alongside his performance levels, seeing him become less effective for the team with a low goal tally and a lack of assists, despite being one of the Rams' best players last season.

The biggest moment from last season for Mendez-Laing was his valuable goal in the penultimate match at Cambridge United.

After racing on to the ball he showed great composure to round the keeper and slot home for Derby, earning a 1-0 victory that all but secured promotion.

Despite Mendez-Laing's underwhelming displays this season, he once again proved his passion for the club to succeed when the stakes were at their highest on Monday.

Image source, Getty Images

With his first few touches after coming off the bench at the Hawthorns, he raced on to a through ball, coolly chipped Josh Griffiths, and on the angle passed the ball into the far corner to wrap up three crucial points for Derby.

Making the hardest of goals look as if he'd been scoring them all season!

While his criticism has been warranted for the majority of the campaign, Mendez-Laing has now proved he may be a key contributor to Derby's survival, while also proving how much passion he has for the club.

John Eustace takes credit once again for clearly instilling a mentality that every player in this squad has their part to play in this battle for safety.

Every player is buying into it, and every player wants to take their chance to make themselves the hero, regardless of game time, or levels of previous performances.

Huge plaudits to Mendez-Laing - in a season in which he could have let his head completely drop, he kept on believing and his perseverance paid off in the biggest of moments.

It now begs the question of who else in this squad will look at that moment of magic from Mendez-Laing and be inspired to do the same going into a tense, tight and thrilling final two matches.

Corey Blackett-Taylor is back in training, Kemar Roofe is available for selection against Hull City, and of course Mendez-Laing himself will no doubt be in the squad.

It's crunch time. Who will write their name in Derby folklore?

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

Victory for Hull City on Saturday (15:00 BST) will assure them of Championship football next season, while a win for Derby could move them within sight of another campaign of second-tier football.

• Hull City have won just one of their past 11 league games against Derby (D2 L8), beating them 2-0 in October 2019.

• Derby have alternated between winning (five) and not winning (D1 L3) in their past nine away games against Hull, beating them 1-0 on their last visit in August 2021.

• Hull won their last league game against Preston, but only once this season have the Tigers won consecutive league games (three in a row in September-October).

• Having won just one of their first 18 away league games this season (D5 L12), Derby have now won two of their past four on the road (D1 L1).

• Only Luton have scored fewer goals (41) and have a lower shot conversion rate (8.3%) than Hull City in the Championship this season (43 goals, 8.6% conversion).

Image source, Rex Features

"Time for some nostalgia... let's roll back the years to April 1975"

Colin Gibson is joined by Stuart Webb, Colin Todd, Andy Ellis and Pat Murphy to look back at Derby County's First Division title-winning season, 50 years on.

Listen to the Rams Daily Podcast here via BBC Sounds.

Derby County picked up a vital 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion in the Championship survival scrap to leave them above the drop zone on goal difference with two games remaining.

The Rams have won two of their past four on the road (D1 L1) and travel to relegation rivals Hull City on Saturday afternoon.

"It's back to the form we've seen," former Derby goalkeeper Eric Steele told the Rams Daily podcast following the victory at The Hawthorns.

"When you look at the performances against Portsmouth, Plymouth and West Brom… really positive results.

"I just think the style with what's available to John Eustace, the way he's actually turned it around, we're better suited away from home, so I'm thinking can we get the fixture with Stoke reversed?

"We've not been anywhere near as convincing at home. At home, we've got to be more on the front foot."

Steele joins BBC Radio Derby's Dominic Dietrich and Ed Dawes on the latest episode, which you can listen to on BBC Sounds.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Rex Features

The sense of relief at The Hawthorns on Bank Holiday Monday filtered through from Derby County supporters after their emotions and celebrations had died down.

The scenes in the Smethwick End throughout the game from the 2,542 Rams fans echoed around the stadium.

Derby's third away victory was timely and crucial as four out of the five teams vying not to occupy the bottom three all won.

When that sense of reality dawned, the result was quickly filed and thoughts about the final two matches ensued.

The Rams' performance against a flat West Bromwich Albion was excellent - Albion have huge quality in their squad as was shown with four second half substitutions of Premier League standard.

John Eustace quickly installed Ebou Adams as his captain on arrival in February and the Gambian international leads by example.

His stats burst off the page:

• Most duels won: 10

• Most tackles won: 3

• Most fouled player: 3

• Goals: 1

• Assists: 1

Adams scored Derby's opener with a near post header worked on in training in the week - his fifth Championship goal this season - and did his typical jumping salute.

His character befits the squad's attitude to this relegation battle. Constantly fighting, never giving up and leaving it out on the pitch.

Sadly for the Rams, five wins in nine games is still not enough to confirm survival.

The other teams are finding that kind of form with Luton still battling and Plymouth not done yet.

Looking up, Preston are sleepwalking into a nervy final two games and could quite easily repeat the fate which Birmingham City suffered late on last term.

As for the Rams, whatever happens in the final two matches against Hull City and Stoke, John Eustace has given them a chance. His squad have responded and despite the season-long frailties, survival is in their hands.

Image source, Getty Images

Derby County are giving themselves the best chance they can to avoid relegation from the Championship, according to boss John Eustace.

The Rams won 3-1 at West Brom on Monday to remain outside the Championship relegation zone on goal difference with two games of the season remaining.

"It was an amazing performance, I thought the lads were outstanding - we limited a really good footballing team to next to nothing really," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

"We've conceded some sloppy goals this season and the one we conceded was sloppy again but we have to remember (Sondre) Langas is playing with a knee injury and will need some big surgery in the summer so just to get him in the team at the moment is great."

Derby visit Hull City on Saturday with the Tigers only two points above the Rams before finishing their season at home to Stoke City.

"We want to make this club special again and make the fans know whoever puts on the shirt will sweat blood for this club - as long as we keep fighting we'll give ourselves the best chance we can," added Eustace.

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

I think most fans would agree that if Derby are going to stay up, we are never going to do it the easy way. The easy way just isn't the 'Derby way'.

Having a huge chance against Luton Town on Friday to put a bit of daylight between us and the bottom three felt so precious. But the 1-0 defeat unfortunately feels like a big opportunity squandered in the fight for survival.

Going into the game it felt like more of a "want to win, but must not lose" for us, and I'd say more of a "want to win and need to win" for Luton.

I think that showed through the performances of both sides throughout the afternoon too. Derby were quite sloppy in possession in comparison to how they have been in recent weeks, and looked a yard off it at times.

Luton on the other hand, although not posing too much of an attacking threat, defended like their lives depended on it, throwing their bodies on the line on more than one occasion to ensure their crucial lead stayed intact, they just seemed like they wanted it that little bit more.

Perhaps the biggest question for John Eustace to answer is why we have reverted back to playing with wingers in the last couple of games, when things were previously working really well for us with an extra body in midfield and two more central attackers.

The general consensus among fans on Friday was that the game was lost in midfield and cried out for a player like Liam Thompson.

We got overrun in the first half, and although every player gave 110% to try and get us back into it in the second, there were still gaps in the middle of the park that caused us to lose out on possession multiple times from not being able to win first and second balls.

Thompson has been exceptional in Derby's midfield when called upon this season, providing a balance to the midfield which has brought the best out of our attack and defence.

Not to mention, Tommo started in every game when the Rams went on their winning run from the start of March to the beginning of April. In fact, the Rams only lost one game in the last six matches that the youngster made a start in, so you can understand why there's a little bit of confusion to see him lose his place in the starting line up to the likes of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Kayden Jackson, who many would agree have underperformed this season.

Potentially the absence of Callum Elder has a part to play too.

We definitely miss the Aussie's positivity down the left hand side, as well as his solidity defensively, despite the stellar job that Craig Forsyth has done since stepping into his place.

Perhaps losing Elder has meant we've had to try and find a little more attacking prowess through the use of wingers, however I actually believe we're worse off for it, and would like to see Eustace revert back to our more successful 3-5-2 system when we travel to West Brom on bank holiday Monday.

Defeat to the Hatters has left us on level points with them, and only out of the bottom three on goal difference. It now feels crucial that Derby bounce back against the Baggies and get something from the game, with no doubt even more twists and turns to come before the Easter period comes to an end.

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

"Luton Town were simply better this afternoon. To be honest, I didn't see this one coming.

"They've done us at our own game in all fairness. We just weren't at the races in the first-half and it heaps massive, massive pressure on the next two away games."

BBC Radio Derby's Dominic Dietrich, Ed Dawes and ex-Derby striker Malcolm Christie react to the Rams' defeat to fellow Championship strugglers Luton Town, which leaves County teetering just above the relegation zone on goal difference.

The episode includes post-match interviews with Derby boss John Eustace and central defender Matt Clarke.

The team also read and react to your views following the full-time whistle at Pride Park.

Listen to the full post-match reaction and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, PA Media

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat by relegation rivals Luton Town.

"The first half wasn't what we had been like and what we expected, so that is disappointing," Eustace said.

"We looked a little bit anxious. It was a big game, it's a full house and I thought Luton set up really well and made it really difficult for us and we just couldn't get our game going.

"But the way we approached the second half was excellent and the attitude of the group was good.

"In the second half the effort of the group was fantastic, we had two or three golden chances that we just couldn't put away.

"The most important thing is that we react on Monday [when Derby face West Bromwich Albion], which I know we will. We are a team of fighters."

"When I'm not playing football, I'm watching it.

"There are going to be comparisons to players but I want to be my own player."

Dominic Dietrich interviews midfielder Harrison Armstrong ahead of the Rams' crucial clash with fellow relegation strugglers Luton Town on Good Friday.

The pair also go in-depth on Armstrong's admiration of Luka Modric and his plans of returning to parent club Everton.

Listen to the full post-match reaction and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Only one defeat in their past seven games and a tally of 14 points from a possible 21 has given Derby County under John Eustace a real chance of staying up.

The Rams are one point clear of the drop zone with four games to go.

Luton are scrapping to avoid a second straight relegation after a troubled campaign and know a win over Derby, although not enough to get out of the bottom three, would take them level on points with the Rams and behind them only on goal difference.

It's a huge game at lunchtime on Good Friday (12:30 BST) for both sides' chances of being in the Championship next season.

• Derby are unbeaten in their past 10 home league games against Luton (W5 D5) since a 3-2 defeat at the Baseball Ground in May 1990.

• Luton are looking for their first league double over Derby since the 1989-90 top-flight campaign.

• Derby have won each of their past four league games on Good Friday and are the only team to win on that day in every season between 2020-21 and 2023-24.

• Luton have won two of their past 14 league games on Good Friday (D7 L5) but are unbeaten in their past two (W1 D1).

• Derby's Jerry Yates has scored nine Championship goals this season, only in 2022-23 has he ever reached double figures in the competition (14 with Blackpool).