"My gut feeling" - Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reveals exciting Derby County, John Eustace prediction | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has backed Derby County to retain their Championship status.

Ex-Derby County player Lee Hendrie has backed John Eustace to help the Rams escape relegation.

It has been a difficult couple of months for the Pride Park faithful. For much of the season, it appeared they would be a mid-table Championship side, but since Boxing Day they haven't picked up a league win and now sit rock bottom.

In February, they made the decision to part ways with Paul Warne, despite giving him the full winter transfer window, and appointed Eustace, formerly of Blackburn Rovers, as his replacement.

His opening three games have all ended in defeat, and on Saturday, he will face his former side, who are comfortably placed in seventh.

Nonetheless, the 45-year-old will remain confident in his ability to turn Derby's fortunes around, but the longer he takes, the more precarious the club's situation will become.

Lee Hendrie backs Eustace to keep Derby alive

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, former Derby midfielder and current Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie admitted that despite the Rams' precarious position, Eustace could yet keep them in the Championship.

"It is a tough one to call with Derby," said Hendrie.

"Obviously, they are sitting bottom of the pile at the moment and things haven't gone to plan for Eustace just yet, coming into his fourth game against Blackburn. But, I think that might just be the turning point for Derby.

"It needs to start happening now. Since he has come in, three defeats and no goals. That was always my issue with Derby on the goal front, that it would be a problem.

"I think he will get them going in the right direction. It is early days, but it has got to be turned around very quickly because we are at the business end of the season, where they need to start winning games. What has made it worse is that the teams around them are just picking up results, which makes that gap that little bit bigger. They are only four points off Hull City, but they have played that extra game.

"It will take something to turn a corner with a football club, and Eustace has seen this with Blackburn.

"They have Plymouth coming up, which is going to be a huge game, and I do feel he can steer them away. It was a big thing for him to walk out of Blackburn to Derby, and they are a massive football club.

"My gut feeling is that they will just get out of that bottom three and finish just outside. They will survive and stay in the Championship."

Derby's 11-game bid for survival

Derby may not have won a single game in 2025, but they still have a glimmer of hope in their remaining fixtures.

Matches against teams like Argyle, Hull, Portsmouth, and Luton Town must be targeted as must-wins, and if they're still in contention by the 3rd of May, they will welcome a struggling Stoke City to Pride Park.

The home games are pivotal, and Eustace will need his fanbase to be in full voice, giving his players that extra boost as they step onto the hallowed turf.

The head coach has valuable experience to draw on from last season, and while Blackburn weren’t in quite as precarious a position, his leadership could well be the key to seeing them over the line.