Confirmed: Derby County blow emerges ahead of Plymouth Argyle | OneFootball

The Australian came off at half-time in the Rams' 2-1 win against Coventry City on Wednesday evening.

Callum Elder is set to miss out against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday after he was substituted off at half-time in Derby County's 2-1 win over Coventry City on Wednesday evening with a groin issue.

The 29-year-old came off the pitch while the Rams were 1-0 up at the CBS Arena after Jerry Yates capitalised on a poor back pass from Jack Rudoni that allowed the Swansea City loanee to round Oliver Dovin and finish excellently to give his side the lead.

The away side doubled their lead in the 73rd minute with Yates once again involved. A sliced pass from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom found its way over to the former Blackpool man, allowing him to smash a cross into the box that deflected off Bobby Thomas and looped in.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto pulled one back for the Sky Blues just moments later, but Paul Warne's side were able to hold on for their first win on the road this season. However, it now seems likely that Derby will go into their crunch match against Plymouth without their first-choice left-back.

Elder set to be sidelined with groin issue

While there will be some huge positives taken from the win over Coventry, Warne is now left with a selection dilemma against Argyle at the weekend after he revealed that Elder is unlikely to play due to a groin issue.

He was forced off at half-time with Craig Forsyth replacing him at left wing-back, a change that did pay off as the Scottish defender clipped Zetterstrom's wayward pass into the path of Yates for the Rams' second.

Nevertheless, it is another injury blow for the ex-Hull City ace, who has had a multitude of fitness problems since making the move to Pride Park last summer.

After the match, his manager was queried by Rams TV about his chances of featuring against Plymouth on Saturday: "A bit of a doubt, a very big doubt really.

"I don't want to sound like a rugby union manager where I tell you my team a week in advance."

Warne was then asked about his other options: "Fozzy's great, yeah, I've got no issue with that. Obviously I can also play Ozzy [Ben Osborn] there at the weekend as well. He can play at left-back if need be.

"So, Fozzy's very reliable. I'm buzzing for Fozzy because he was full honking at the weekend," he joked.

"In fairness, I shouldn't say this but when I dropped him I talked to him about it, I'm like, 'I'm really sorry mate, but you know what's going to happen here.'

"And he went 'yeah, I can't argue about it gaffer.' He's been unbelievable for me. I said this to him, he's one of them people who should be at the club forever."

Forsyth will have to step up against Plymouth

While it will be frustrating for Warne to have lost Elder, he does have a very adept and experienced full-back in Forsyth to take on the role against Plymouth, as he has done on multiple occasions already this season.

For the 35-year-old, it will be an exciting opportunity to impress against his former manager, Wayne Rooney, and he will have to be at his best to stop Morgan Whittaker at Pride Park, and deny the academy graduate an enjoyable return to his former stomping ground.

Derby will also have to contend with the loss of Eiran Cashin, who picked up his fifth booking of the season against Coventry, meaning that he will miss out through suspension. It seems likely that Warne will revert to a flat back four with Kane Wilson coming at right-back, while Nat Phillips will take on the Cashin role next to Curtis Nelson.

Three points will be vital for Derby on Saturday, with the Rams knowing that a win could take them six points clear of the relegation zone heading into the international break.