Derby County look set to “escape” relegation from the Championship, according to EFL pundit Jobi McAnuff.
The Rams were beginning to look in real trouble towards the bottom of the table, but new boss John Eustace has inspired an impressive turnaround at Pride Park.
Former head coach Paul Warne was axed last month after seven straight defeats left the club in the relegation zone and Eustace also lost his opening three matches in charge, against QPR, Millwall and Middlesbrough.
But they have won their last three league matches, against Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle. And while they are still in the drop zone – in 22nd place – they are now only one point adrift of safety and look to have gained vital momentum, with eight matches left to play.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Essential EFL podcast, McAnuff assessed the situation at the bottom of the Championship, as Derby battle the likes of Plymouth, Luton Town, Cardiff City and Stoke City to survive.
“Portsmouth, after the Leeds game, I was saying ‘they are safe’. That was because they beat Leeds and they’ve been so good at Fratton Park, but then they go and lose to Plymouth – a result you don’t see coming,” he said.
“I just think they’ll have enough there to get what they need between now and the end of the season.
“I’d probably go up to Hull (in the survival fight), they’d be the ones for me and I think they can nick results under Ruben Selles – he’s got them well organised and well drilled. I fancy them to win enough games to be safe.
“So I’d say it’s from Stoke down for me and I have this horrible nag for my old club Cardiff because you never know what kind of team’s going to turn up.
“They’d be the ones I’d be worrying about and Derby look the ones who could escape it – but I do think it’ll go down to the last day with probably four or five teams involved and maybe sneaking out of the bottom three.”
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