Derby County have nine players unavailable for their must-win Championship match at Burnley on Saturday. The injury crisis, which deepened in the 2-1 home defeat to Birmingham City last week, leaves manager John Eustace with severely limited options as his side, with just four points from seven games, desperately needs a result. The team's recent form is a major concern, having lost their last three matches, a slump detailed in our comprehensive stats section.
Henrik Meister suffered a concussion and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom sustained a knee ligament injury in that Birmingham loss. Zetterstrom is expected to be out until after the international break at the earliest, a significant blow to defensive plans. The only potential boost is that Rhian Brewster could be available after completing concussion protocols.
The lengthy absentee list
The full list of unavailable players includes Matt Clarke, Derry Murkin, Craig Forsyth, Lewis Travis, Filip Bilbija, Patrick Agyemang, Meister and Zetterstrom. This leaves Eustace with an obvious and limited pairing at the back. Sondre Langas and Eiran Cashin, who have started the last two matches together, are set to continue in central defence.
With so many defenders missing, a switch to a five-man defence is a possibility. Josh Vickers is expected to start in goal, with Joe Ward at right-back and Charlie Taylor, the only fit left-back, on the opposite flank. In midfield, David Ozoh and Alex Mowatt are the anticipated partnership.
The predicted Rams lineup
Up front, Carlton Morris is likely to lead the line as the centre-forward. Brewster, Bobby Clark and Sammie Szmodics could operate in support roles behind him. Clark, who scored against Birmingham, is the club's top scorer this season with two goals from seven appearances. Youngster Mohammed Fuseini shows promise but is not yet considered ready for the Championship's intensity.
The predicted starting eleven is Vickers; Ward, Langas, Cashin, Taylor; Ozoh, Mowatt; Brewster, Szmodics, Clark; Morris. Derby's position of 22nd in the standings with only four points highlights the scale of their task. The trip to Turf Moor pits the 22nd-placed Rams against 24th-placed Burnley in a vital early-season clash where every goal minute and point is key.
Background and full detail: Derbyshire Live
