Derby County

Sheffield Wednesday will hope to end a run of 13 games without a win when they welcome Derby County to Hillsborough on Monday night (20:00 GMT).

The Owls, who are bottom and 29 points adrift of safety following their 18-point deduction, have tasted victory just once all season, which came on 20 September away to Portsmouth.

The Rams, who are seven points back from the play-off places and trying to stay in touch, have won just one of their past five games (D1 L3).

• Sheffield Wednesday have won their past three league games against Derby, their best winning run against the Rams since a run of five between 1930 and 1932.

• Derby have lost their previous three league trips to Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday, last beating the Owls away from home in a 3-1 win in February 2020.

• Sheffield Wednesday are the only Championship side without a home win this season (D2 L8). The only second tier side to have a longer home winless start to a season was Portsmouth in 1975-76 (12 games).

• Derby's Carlton Morris has scored six away Championship goals this season – last season the Rams' leading scorer on the road was Jerry Yates with seven. Morris has been involved in four goals in his past three league games against Sheffield Wednesday (3 goals, 1 assist).

• Sheffield Wednesday have gone 21 home Championship matches without a clean sheet – the last side to have a longer run without a home shutout in the competition was Colchester between April 2007 and March 2008 (23).

Image source, EFL

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard has won his second successive Championship manager of the month award.

The Sky Blues boss oversaw maximum points with five successive wins in November with his side currently five points clear at the top of the table.

Lampard said: "We got some fantastic results throughout November and I would like to thank all the players, staff and everyone involved for their continued hard work.

"We have a great togetherness and team spirit here and we're all looking forward to the busy Christmas period and continuing our hard work."

Birmingham's Chris Davies, Tonda Eckert of Southampton and Derby boss John Eustace were also nominated for the award.

Coventry at the double again

Image source, Getty Images

Once again Coventry have cause for a double celebration with striker Ellis Simms being named the player of the month, following hot on the heels of team-mate Brandon Thomas-Asante claiming the award in October.

The 24-year-old scored five goals in his three starts in November including a brace in each of the victories over Middlesbrough and Charlton, taking his tally to eight in all competitions so far this season.

"This was only possible because of my team-mates and the staff pushing standards every day," said Simms.

"Individual awards come from team performances, and the results we've had make this extra special.

"I'll take the confidence from it and keep giving everything for the club and the fans."

Simms beat strikers Carlton Morris (Derby) and Joe Gelhardt (Hull City) plus Birmingham full-back Alex Cochrane to the award.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard, Birmingham's Chris Davies, Tonda Eckert of Southampton and Derby head coach John Eustace have been nominated for the Championship's manager of the month award for November.

The Sky Blues continue to lead the way at the top of the table and took a maximum 15 points from their five games last month, scoring 14 goals along the way, and Lampard will be looking to take the award for the second successive month.

In fact, Coventry will be hoping to make it a double once again with striker Ellis Simms among the nominees for the player of the month with team-mate Brandon Thomas-Asante having won it in October.

Birmingham managed 10 points under Davies while Eckert's four-match winning streak went a long way to helping him secure the Southampton job on a permanent basis.

Derby followed their strong finish to October by winning four of their games in November to earn Eustace his nomination.

Elsewhere in the player of the month category, there is recognition for strikers Carlton Morris (Derby) and Joe Gelhardt (Hull City), while Birmingham full-back Alex Cochrane is also in the running. The winners will be announced on Friday, 12 December.

Derby County boss John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after his side's 1-1 draw against Millwall:

"The most important thing I'm happy with is how we competed against a really difficult team. The boys have been outstanding, their attitude was very, very good.

"The way we fought from the first minute to the last was what we wanted. You look at the midfield three today - Bobby Clark, who's a 10, Thommo's [Liam Thompson] different class and Andi Weimann - in there against three difficult opponents, in a game that they want to make a fight, I thought they competed really well.

"The way we defended set-pieces was excellent. Second half I felt there was only going to be one team to go on and win it. I thought the game opened up and we were playing some really good stuff without being clinical enough.

"To go a goal down with 10 minutes to go on the back of two defeats, I thought the group showed fantastic character and togetherness to go on and get the equaliser – and I thought we could have perhaps gone on and nicked it at the end."

Derby County manager John Eustace says it is "always going to be difficult to bounce back" after losing a player of Carlton Morris' quality to injury.

Morris has netted 10 league goals this season and had scored in four consecutive games before picking up an ankle injury in the first half of the 3-2 defeat by Watford, which will keep him out until February.

The Rams have lost three of their four matches since Morris limped off, including the one against the Hornets.

"You've taken a big character out of the group, a leader," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby ahead of the meeting with high-flying Millwall at Pride Park on Wednesday.

"It's our job now to adapt. Overall, I don't think we've been too bad. But you take big characters out of any team, it's always going to be difficult to bounce back.

"But we've got that bouncebackability with other players and we're looking forward to the challenges."

One player the Rams will hope can have a bigger impact to help soften the blow of losing Morris is forward Ben Brereton Diaz, who has netted just once since joining on loan from Southampton in the summer.

"I think Ben's work-rate up to now has been excellent," said Eustace.

"He's been really unlucky not to score a couple more goals. He's very experienced at this level.

"We've got to keep giving him the belief that he's going to be a match-winner for us. The recruitment to get him in was excellent with his reputation. We're very fortunate he's here.

"He hasn't scored as many goals as I'm sure he'd like but his work-rate has been superb and I'm confident the goals will come."

Millwall will aim to continue their impressive run of form when they visit Derby County on Wednesday night (19:45 GMT).

The Lions have won three on the bounce and are pushing for an automatic promotion spot following a 1-0 victory away at Bristol City on Saturday.

The Rams have slipped to 15th in the Championship after three defeats in their past four games (W1) and are looking to bounce back.

• Derby have won just two of their past 11 league games against Millwall (D3 L6), with both wins coming away from home in June and December 2020.

• Millwall have won their past five away league games against Derby – they've won six in a row on the road against an opponent in their league history.

• Derby are unbeaten in their past eight midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games (W5 D3), since a 1-0 loss against Sunderland in January.

• Millwall have alternated between defeat (3) and victory (3) in their past six midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) league games, beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 at the Den last time out.

• Having lost his first four away league games against Derby without his side's scoring, Millwall boss Alex Neil has won his past two visits to Pride Park 1-0 (with Preston and Millwall).

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Sport after Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Leicester City.

"We always ask for a reaction after we lose and we didn't get that today in that first half [after being beaten a week earlier at Middlesbrough]," he said.

"But you are going to lose two or three on the bounce, just like you will win two or three on the bounce. This is the Championship, and it's always about the next game.

"We are disappointed to lose today but we have an opportunity now on Wednesday [against Millwall] to put things right.

"It's about being committed and competitive, that is all I ask for. If we were competitive in the first half, like we were in the second, we would have been fine.

"We have shown all season that we are fighters and that through all disappointing moments we get on with it and we learn from it, and there was never a question in my mind that we wouldn't be competitive in that second half."

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

Topsy turvy. Up and down. A mixed bag. All of these terms could be used to describe Derby's last three matches.

Returning from the international break, and looking more than on course to climb into the Championship's top six, Derby found themselves 2-0 up at home to Watford. That was despite losing their main man Carlton Morris to injury inside 20 minutes.

Then it all went wrong.

Individual errors, an inability to adapt to a change of opposition game plan, and unpopular substitutions, made a recipe for disaster as the Rams fell to a 3-2 defeat, throwing away a two goal lead.

Onto Swansea, a chance to bounce back, and bounce back they did. With the typical 'perfect away performance.'

The Rams lacked possession, finishing with only 27%, but were deadly when they were on the ball.

Full-backs Callum Elder and Joe Ward were getting high up the pitch, swinging dangerous balls in, creating opportunities, and eventually linking up to score the first goal.

The second came courtesy of Lars Jorgen Salvesen, a striker who hasn't played many minutes for the Rams this season, but when called upon he once again composed himself and tucked the match winner away like he'd been a regular starter all season.

Derby didn't let their 'crumble' three days prior get into their heads, as the Swans pulled a goal back late on. Instead this time they stood firm, managed the game, and defended resolutely to take three points and themselves up to seventh in the table.

Middlesbrough. A classic case of not killing the game off when you're on top, and being punished for it.

The dream start for the Rams, coming courtesy of Patrick Agyemang, after Salvesen once again showed his worth in the squad, by playing the American in behind for his third goal of the season.

Agyemang's composure was second to none, and must be given full credit in tough conditions, showing exactly why big money was paid for him in the summer.

Derby had chances to put the game to bed before half-time but they weren't taken, and with that Middlesbrough were given hope that allowed them to move up a gear in the second half.

Once again, the Rams found themselves losing a match from a winning position for the second time in the space of a week.

So what can Derby take from these last three fixtures?

The importance of adaptable striker partnerships:

Despite losing Morris who has struck 10 times already this season, the Rams haven't been short of goals without him, netting five times in the last three matches.

Agyemang and Salvesen have already proven they have a partnership that could be key whilst Morris is out on the sidelines.

Further attacking options include Ben Brereton Diaz, Rhian Brewster, Corey Blackett-Taylor and Kayden Jackson who can all interchange across the front line.

This doesn't replace Morris, but the strength in depth of forward thinking options definitely makes the concern a lot less severe.

Killing teams off when on top:

Something that may be crucial in Saturday's meeting with Leicester.

Whilst the momentum is in our favour, whilst the crowd are stirring up an atmosphere, whilst we may have them on the ropes, we must take our chances.

The difference between a top six Championship team and a mid-table one is their ability to manage a lead. Defending it and managing the game when not in control, and extending it to put the game beyond doubt when they are in control.

So far from what the Rams have shown, they fall more into the mid-table bracket for me.

Making changes that can impact the game:

A managerial critique, as happy as I am with John Eustace. Unfortunately Saturday was the prime example.

By the time the changes were made, it felt like the game was already lost. By the 80th minute the momentum was massively in Boro's favour, and it was more a matter of 'when not if' they were going to go ahead.

Bringing two players into the fold just four minutes before conceding the second goal epitomised that.

When the danger could be smelt by the hour mark, why could we not try and adapt and freshen up then?

It felt as though we were clinging onto a one goal lead, instead of trying to get ourselves back on the front foot. With the personnel entering the field not being those that you felt could 'change the game' or 'make something happen out of nothing' either.

Going forward, when the momentum swings out of our favour, I'd love to see the likes of Brewster and Blackett-Taylor come on to threaten the opposition with pace and power. Allowing us to relieve some pressure, and pose more of an attacking threat ourselves.

Looking to Leicester, it's probably the perfect time to play them.

Low on confidence, probably a little bit shellshocked with where they find themselves in the table, and home advantage on our side. I'd like to think we can cause them problems, in what I expect to be an entertaining contest.

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

Pride Park will want to see an emphatic win for their Derby County side when Leicester City come to visit on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Though technically an East Midlands derby, the rivalry between the Rams and the Foxes has as much to do with history as it does location.

Over the past two decades, Derby have only managed three wins out of their last 17 meetings while Leicester have won nine of the past 11 - plus a First Division play-off win in 1994 that still carries a sting.

However, the visitors are struggling this season and it could be a good time for the hosts to claim their first victory over the Foxes since March 2013.

• Derby have lost seven of their last eight league games against Leicester (W1), with this the first between the sides since a 4-1 win for the Foxes in January 2014.

• This is Leicester's first away league game against Derby since a 1-0 win in August 2013. They've won three of their last four league visits to Pride Park (L1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory.

• Derby County have lost two of their last three league games (W1), as many as they had in their previous 13 (W6 D5).

• Leicester have lost five of their last eight Championship games (W2 D1), with only Swansea, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday losing more than the Foxes since the first game in this run on 21st October (6 each).

• Derby have had fewer shots (155) and fewer shots on target (51) than any other Championship side this season, while also having the second lowest expected goals total (17.4). Despite this, only seven clubs have scored more goals than the Rams this term (25).

"You just wonder if Leicester City had faced the punishments that so many clubs have faced since then - Derby included obviously because it's still so raw for many people - whether the success of the last 15 years, the decade, would have come to their door.

"I feel quite bitter about that."

Former Rams striker Malcolm Christie is joined by BBC Radio Derby's Ed Dawes and Dominic Dietrich as they look ahead to a big clash against Leicester City and their own personal dealings with the Foxes.

Listen to the full episode of Rams Weekly and more Derby County content on BBC Sounds.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Getty Images

I don't really know what Leicester are to us. They're not rivals - Forest are the rivals - but Leicester... they're tied to something in me that's never really gone away.

And it goes back to one day. Wembley. 1994 First Division play-off final.

I was 15. That's important, I think, because everything hits harder at 15.

Before that, Leicester were nothing to me. Just another game on the fixture list. We played them at the Baseball Ground, but I barely gave them a thought. That all changed in one afternoon.

Derby had this proper side that season - Lionel Pickering spending everywhere, Arthur Cox building something exciting until his back gave out and he had to stop. Roy McFarland stepped up and Derby somehow kept going.

It was a ridiculous season: score loads, concede loads, but in the second half of it, honestly, Derby were irresistible. Paul Kitson, Tommy Johnson, Mark Pembridge, Marco Gabbiadini, Paul Simpson... goals everywhere. It felt like something big was coming.

And with the Premier League still new and shiny and full of promise, I just wanted Derby to be there. I needed Derby to be there.

Then came Wembley. My second time going with Derby. The Anglo-Italian Cup the year before barely counted — half-empty stadium, bit of a novelty. But this was everything. Hot day, buzzing atmosphere, all of it pointing to Derby doing it.

When Tommy Johnson scored, I genuinely thought: "This is it. Derby are going up."

And then... the stuff that still bothers me happened.

Ball comes into the box, Martin Taylor gets smashed - absolutely wiped out - and referee Roger Milford, in the last game of his career, misses it. Misses the clearest foul I've ever seen in a Derby game. Ball drops to Steve Walsh. Tap in. 1–1.

And then the moment that still lives in my head. John Harkes goes through, rounds the keeper, and you're just shouting in your head: "Put it in. Just put it in."

And he doesn't.

And that was the Premier League right there.

Minutes from the end, Walsh again. 2-1 Leicester.

And everything in me just fell apart.

To make it worse, Gary Coatsworth - already on a yellow - makes another foul that would be a second yellow on any other day. Nothing given. Another decision gone.

And when the final whistle went, I just cried. Completely cried. Properly. Fifteen years old, Wembley way, tears everywhere. My sister Harriett just looked at me like she didn't know what to say. My dad Roger did what dads do - "Come on. Let's go."

We left immediately. No hanging about.

And then a Derby fan came up to me on Wembley Way and said: "It's alright, mate. We'll be back next year."

I still feel that moment, even now.

We went into London and I sat by the fountain in Trafalgar Square, still crying. Harriett didn't speak for two days. Just disappeared into her room. My mum Kelly was devastated.

Then we went to Garfunkel's before getting the train home, and as we sat down, Nat King Cole's Smile came on — with that line: "Smile though your heart is breaking" - and my mum burst into tears. It was like the universe was mocking us. And I just remember thinking: "How can football hurt this much?"

And then what happened after all that just adds another layer. Years later, Leicester go into administration. Wipe their debt. No points deduction, because the rules weren't in place. Brand new start. Then they get the Thai owners - brilliant owners, absolutely brilliant people - and they go on the most unbelievable journey: Premier League title, FA Cup, Europe, everything.

And I was happy for the story, genuinely, but there's always been that thought: Would any of that have happened if they'd been punished the way Derby were later punished?

Because when Derby went into administration, we got hammered. Rightly or wrongly, hammered. Points gone. Relegation. Years of struggle. Leicester had their clean slate. We didn't.

And since then, weirdly, we barely touch each other. We haven't played them in the league since 2014. One FA Cup tie in 2017. That's it.

So it's not a rivalry. It never has been.

It's just that day.

That moment.

That feeling.

Wembley 1994 is when everything changed for me.

It was anger and heartbreak and disbelief and a punch in the stomach you don't forget.

But it was also the moment I realised just how much football meant to me - how much Derby meant to me.

I don't know what Leicester are.

But that day?

That day has never left.

Image source, Ed Dawes

Striker Rhian Brewster may play a role in Derby County's game against Leicester City on Saturday (12:30 GMT), Rams boss John Eustace has confirmed.

Brewster has missed Derby's past three Championship games with a hamstring issue but is set to return to training on Friday, with Eustace not ruling him out of the Foxes' visit.

"Rhian will join back in the group, hopefully, on Friday so we will have to see if he will be available on the weekend," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

"He's made great progress over the past couple of weeks so hopefully he'll be ready to go sooner rather than later."

Defender Danny Batth will be available after missing the defeat at Middlesbrough with a knock but midfielder Lewis Travis (calf) is not yet ready to return.

Also missing will be midfielder David Ozoh, who is "three or four weeks away" nursing a thigh problem.

Listen to the full interview with Eustace and more Derby content on BBC Sounds.

Derby County manager John Eustace says Carlton Morris will be like "a new signing" when he returns to action in February.

The Rams boss gave an upbeat bulletin on Morris, who suffered an ankle injury in the defeat against Watford last weekend, despite initially fearing it was a season-ending injury.

"It is as good news on his scan as it could be," said the Derby boss after the 2-1 defeat against Middlesbrough.

"We don't want to miss him at all but he could be back inside 10-12 weeks which is great.

"We were very fearful he would be out for the season so it is not as long as we thought. We will get the big man back around February time, which is like a new signing for us."

John Eustace has addressed the possibility of signing defender Dion Sanderson permanently and replacing injured striker Carlton Morris when the transfer window opens in January.

Birmingham City loanee Sanderson is available for selection for Saturday's game against Middlesbrough after serving a suspension, and when asked if a permanent deal was on his radar, Eustace told BBC Radio Derby: "Possibly, for sure, I think he's done fantastically well.

"I obviously know Dion from my QPR days, Birmingham days, Blackburn days, so I know the kind of character he is. He's a top, top player in my opinion when fully fit and I think he's been proving that throughout this season.

"His performances have been excellent and most importantly, he's a really good human being, and he's another great character to have in the group, into the squad and his performances have been getting better and better, but also he drives the standards."

Derby are waiting for clarity on the injury to Morris, the Championship's joint top goalscorer this season, but Eustace has ambitions to bring in another striker if his absence is long term.

"We want to keep bringing in good players to the group if we can," Eustace said.

"It's about helping the squad and if that's available then brilliant. If not then we have to get on with it and we have to make sure we stick together and keep getting positive results."

Listen to more from John Eustace on BBC Sounds.

Kim Hellberg will take helm of Middlesbrough for the first time on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as his new side host Derby County.

Boro won their first game under caretaker boss Adi Viveash but subsequently only earned one point out of their following two matches to see them out of the second place spot on goal difference.

But Hellberg's introduction to the Riverside will be a testing one, with the Rams winning six of their past seven league matches (L1) to put themselves within touching distance of the top six.

• Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last 16 home league games against Derby (W12 D3), winning each of the last three in a row.

• Derby lost their last league meeting with Middlesbrough in March (0-1), but haven't lost consecutive league matches against Boro since a run of three from April 2014 to March 2015.

• Middlesbrough have only won one of their last six league games (D3 L2), conceding in each of those games; they last endured a longer run of conceding between October and December 2024 (9 games).

• Derby County have won six of their last seven league games (L1), winning each of their last three on the road; they last enjoyed a longer such run in the Championship in October 2014 (4).

• Derby's Andreas Weimann has been involved in four goals in his last three away league appearances against Middlesbrough (1 goal, 3 assists), providing a hat-trick of assists in Bristol City's 3-1 win in July 2020.

Derby County wing-back Joe Ward has said he considered retiring from football because of a recurring knee injury - but is now enjoying a run in the team.

The 30-year-old missed most of last season after requiring knee surgery for the second time in two years.

But Ward has now started the past five games for the Rams, providing four assists and scoring one goal in the 2-1 win at Swansea on Tuesday night.

"It's been so tough," he told BBC Radio Derby after victory in Wales lifted Derby up to seventh in the Championship and level on points with Bristol City in the play-off places.

"There have been points where I've really been struggling with my knee and at times I've thought I could pack this in.

"But I kept going and doing everything behind the scenes, working hard and being as professional as I can and now it's starting to pay off and I'm really happy.

"It's been a long journey. I've worked so hard and I'm still working hard. I'm feeling great.

"We're playing great and as long as I can keep helping the team with goals and assists, I'm really happy and hopefully we can push on."

Ward said "there is no ceiling" for this Derby side in their quest to win promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2006-07 after a run of six wins in their past seven games.

"We're just going to keep pushing and see where we go," he added.