John Eustace is taking one big Derby County risk | OneFootball

The former Rams midfielder is due to be appointed as the new head coach at Pride Park, but they are threatened by relegation.

Derby County secured their second point of 2025 on Tuesday evening as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Oxford United on a bitterly cold evening at Pride Park Stadium.

The Rams moved out of the relegation places on goal difference, with Hull City taking their place in the bottom three. However, the Tigers are due to play on Wednesday evening, and they know that a point will take them back out of the drop zone.

In a game of little action, there was one incredibly important figure watching over, John Eustace. The current Blackburn Rovers head coach was overseeing the East Midlands outfit as he prepares to take over following Paul Warne's sacking last Friday.

A move to the club that he retired from in 2015 as a player has come as a shock to many, but with ownership difficulties at Ewood Park and a desire to move closer to home, joining Derby is not as much of a surprise as some may think.

Nevertheless, it does not come without its risks, and the 45-year-old has a huge task on his hands to ensure that League One football does not return to DE24.

Eustace must not allow Derby to get relegated

The last few months have been incredibly tough for the Rams, and they have spent the last few weeks in the bottom three of the Championship.

Seven defeats in a row saw Warne lose his job, but under the interim guidance of Matt Hamshaw, Derby have picked up two points from two games and stopped the rut that the team had found themselves in.

However, wins are still scarce and they have not won a game since Boxing Day, when West Bromwich Albion were beaten 2-1 at Pride Park.

Making themselves difficult to beat is Eustace's first job with the Rams, and this is something that has been extremely favourable for Gary Rowett at Oxford. It has allowed the U's to take themselves away from any danger over the course of the last month, and they have set a standard for those who have been struggling.

But, Derby are in a more precarious position, and without his own signings to work with, the 45-year-old has his work cut out to keep the club in the Championship and avoid dropping back down to League One.

Blackburn and Birmingham City are both aware of Eustace's qualities

Eustace arrived at Ewood Park a year ago with Blackburn in a very similar position to the one that Derby are in now. Despite some difficulties, he was able to keep Rovers in the Championship before they kicked on and they are now in a play-off place.

Similarly, at Birmingham City, he was able to take the team towards the top six, before he was sacked in bizarre circumstances. Blues fell down the table and were eventually relegated to League One, after being involved in a play-off battle at the start of the campaign.

Blackburn's ownership situation has made it difficult for Eustace to operate, and he was not given his demands for a new contract, according to The Lancashire Telegraph.

Derby's owner, David Clowes, has been a very calm operator at Pride Park since taking over the club in Jully 2022, and the promise of working for somebody that has had a great relationship with the previous manager can only be a positive. However, survival in the Championship is the main task at hand this season.