Latest Derby County news from DerbyshireLive brings you what the Rams head coach had to say as the Rams prepare to face Leicester City on Monday
08:00, 27 Dec 2025Updated 08:36, 27 Dec 2025
John Eustace, Manager of Derby County(Image: Getty Images)
Lewis Travis and Max Johnston look unlikely to face Leicester City on Monday night as Derby County look to make it all square in the battle for East Midlands bragging rights.
Skipper Travis and Johnston have been on their way back from calf and hamstring problems respectively and have returned to training.
Both players missed Boxing Day’s 1-1 draw against Birmingham City although Travis did travel with the squad to St Andrew’s to offer his support.
Eustace revealed Travis was eager to play against Blues, but Eustace maintains the former Blackburn man is a doubt for the trip to the King Power as Derby look to atone for their 3-1 defeat earlier this month.
While both players look to be unavailable, Eustace did praise Liam Thompson and Bobby Clark for their contribution in midfield against the Blues.
Asked if both Travis and Johnston would be fit to face Leicester, Eustace said “I don’t think so. Obviously, Trav’s been out for 11 weeks.
“He’s trained twice up to now. It was really important that he came and joined the group (for Birmingham) with his experience of the training ground and around the dressing room.
“He couldn’t wait to get back in the squad. He actually wanted to start (against Birmingham), so I’ve had to calm him down a little bit.
“But you look at the performance Thommo again and he was outstanding in that midfield against some really top performers that Birmingham have got in there.
“He’s an academy academy graduate and has been very good since I’ve been at the football club.
“He goes about his business in a really good positive way. To have him and Bobby Clark, who’s a number 10 playing as a double 6 with him, the work that the boys are doing is fantastic, really.”
Derby will at least be boosted by the return of Dion Sanderson against Leicester with the centre-back having missed the game against Blues, his parent club, as a condition of his season-long loan.
But they will be missing Joe Ward who was sent off for two bookable offences at the weekend and with Johnston set to be absent, Eustace has a decision to make as to who fills the right-back spot.
Either way, Derby will hope to pile more misery on Marti Cifuentes’ side, who suffered a defeat at home to Watford that has heaped further pressure on the Spaniard, with Leicester currently in mid-table.
But despite the current uncertainty surrounding Leicester and the possibility of a points deduction still hanging over the club over spending breaches relating to their promotion from the Championship two years ago, Leicester still boast a squad packed with quality despite what is happening off the pitch but Eustace will try to concoct a game plan that will allow them to return from the King Power with a result.
“They are a difficult opponent, they have top players and it’s another squad similar to Birmingham. They expect promotion,” he said.
“We’ll go there and we will have a game plan. What I’d say is that the group will work their socks off to try to get a result.”
Who will take home the points on Monday? Have your say HERE.