Derby County: Nat Phillips could have Liverpool situation in mind after Eiran Cashin blow | OneFootball

The Rams' number six came off against Portsmouth with a hamstring injury, leaving their loanee with the chance to impress in the coming weeks.

Derby County produced their biggest win of the season so far on Friday evening as they eased past Portsmouth 4-0 at Pride Park Stadium.

It was the Rams' first victory since the start of November and their first victory at home since they beat QPR 2-0 on 5 October - two months ago.

Kane Wilson, Eiran Cashin, Ebou Adams, and a Marlon Pack own goal secured all three points in a dominant performance for Paul Warne's side, who climbed to 14th and stretched their gap over the bottom three to seven points.

However, the ever-impressive Cashin was forced off with a hamstring issue in the second half and is set for a scan this week to find out how severe the issue is.

It is a blow for the Rams but one that will give Nat Phillips the chance to prove – to Paul Warne, Derby, and perhaps other interested parties watching – that he has what it takes to compete in the Championship after a difficult first four months at Pride Park.

Nat Phillips will have to step up immediately

While losing Cashin is a huge issue for the Rams, they do have cover, and Phillips has shown at times in black-and-white that he can be the player they need at a time like this.

Curtis Nelson will lead the back four, and the 27-year-old should be able to slot in next to Derby's number 35 with relative ease, but he must not let standards slip.

He has made just a handful of starts since moving to Pride Park on loan from Liverpool in the summer, with the majority of these coming when Warne has switched to a five-player defence, however, he does have experience in a four.

Cashin was suspended for the Rams' 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle last month, and Phillips slotted straight into the side and did well, although he did not have too much to deal with throughout the game.

This time, there will be higher expectations of him, especially with Derby facing a team towards the bottom of the table in their first game without Cashin, as they travel to Luton Town on Friday.

Ensuring that he is ready and composed is a must for Phillips, and not letting the loss of the 23-year-old hit too hard is crucial to his team's chances of taking all three points from an away game for just the second time this season.

Phillips is fighting for his future

One further issue that the former Bolton Wanderers youngster has is the lack of certainty surrounding his future.

His contract at Liverpool is due to run out in the summer, and therefore, he needs to be performing in the Championship to prove to managers that he has what it takes to be a regular starter in this division. This is a chance to put himself in the shop window.

It seems highly unlikely that Phillips will stay at Anfield and Derby may be the first in line to win his signature if he does play well in the next few weeks but it feels like a crucial period for the loanee, who could earn his next contract in Cashin's absence.

The centre-back has shown in the past that he has more than enough quality to play at this level, if not higher, but he needs a run of games to do that, and despite the frustration for Cashin, this is Phillips' opportunity to rebuild his reputation.