Angry Rams seek reaction against struggling Norwich

Derby County manager John Eustace has demanded the Rams’ channel their anger from their no-show at Oxford into their another crucial encounter against Norwich City on Tuesday evening.

Both clubs are teetering on the edge of the Championship bottom three and struggling for wins with only three between them in 20 games this season.

Derby, leapfrogged by Oxford after their 1-0 defeat at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, lie 21st in the table.

“We were all very angry about the performance. We let ourselves down on Saturday. We all know that,” Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

“I think it was the first time we haven’t competed for the full 90 minutes collectively. The first thing you must do in the Championship is compete.

“We were all expecting a different result and performance on Saturday but if you don’t compete and you don’t win your duels and battles you are going to get beaten.

“I’m after a reaction from Saturday.”

While Eustace masterminded the great escape for Derby after arriving mid-season last term, any hopes the club might push on this season have come to nothing.

With Norwich also in trouble, and visiting manager Liam Manning under intense pressure, the stakes will be high for both clubs when they meet at Pride Park (19:45 BST).

“We’ve managed pressure before,” Eustace added. “Last season was big pressure; this season there is pressure to get wins – of course there is – but I think when people look at the bigger picture and they see where we are, they will understand where we’ve come from and I think that they will see we are making strides forward.

“We need to be better, I get that. We have to win more games, of course we do, but over the course of the season I’m very confident we’ll get there.”

Derby captain Lewis Travis, who missed the Oxford defeat, is expected to be sidelined for the next six weeks with a calf injury.