Hoping to pick up where they left off before the international break, Derby County will be forced to go for consecutive victories without the help of one of their summer signings against Cardiff City this Saturday.
Derby injury news
Back in the Championship following promotion from League One last season, the Rams have settled well with two wins and two losses in four games representing a solid start.
It’s a start that Paul Warne will hope to see continue despite the disruption of the international break. The aim should be to earn a place in the comforts of mid-table before Christmas in what would be a major step towards survival at the first time of asking, with the visit of Cardiff handing Derby the chance to make it consecutive wins after easing past Bristol City last time out.
It may not be as routine as the 3-0 thrashing of Bristol, however, especially after the international break and with the delay of one summer signing’s full Championship debut providing Warne with plenty of frustration.
As confirmed by BBC Derby reporter Dominic Dietrich, Derby will be without Tawanda Chirewa for their clash against Cardiff this Saturday due to concussion protocols following an injury on international duty with Zimbabwe.
Warne revealed the extent of the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee’s injury, telling the press via Derby’s official website: “Tawanda has suffered a concussion so he’ll miss the next two.”
“Clever” Chirewa’s frustrating start at Derby
Chirewa completed a summer loan move from Wolves in search of much-needed game time, but is yet to start a single game in the Championship. In fact, the 20-year-old’s only minutes have come in the Carabao Cup, as the Rams lost on penalties against Barrow to hand them an early exit against the odds.
Now, fresh back from the international break, the attacking midfielder has suffered a setback in the form of injury and will have to wait a further two games for his league debut.
If the praise of Jairos Tapera – a senior coach in his home country of Zimbabwe – is anything to go by, however, then the Wolves loanee will be worth the wait. Tapera said via Nehanda Radio: “He (Tawanda Chirewa) is excellent, he is a clever young boy. I think we have a gem in Zimbabwe.”
Frustration will of course still be growing, but those at Pride Park must be patient. Chirewa had the quality to earn a move to the Premier League and may yet prove to be a key man under Warne once he receives that Championship chance that he must be craving.
