Derby County host Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal says he is suprised by Derby County’s start to the season considering the strength of their squad, the club’s official website report.
The Rams have been extremely disappointing this season, with the pre-season promotion contenders picking up just 14 points in their opening 14 Championship matches.
Derby’s poor start has seen Nigel Pearson lose his job as manager, and the former Leicester City boss has since been replaced by Steve McClaren only 15 months after the former England head coach was sacked by the East Midlands side.
Wednesday, currently sitting in fifth spot, arguably head to the iPro Stadium as favourites to win the match but boss Carvalhal is not taking Derby’s lowly position and disappointing start for granted.
“I am a little surprised like everybody, but this is something that can happen in this competition. They are, however, still a good team, with good players and with good coaches,” Carvalhal told dcfc.co.uk.
“This is football, though. What we do have to do is go there and respect them because they still have a lot of individual and collective qualities. It will be a tough game for both teams because they will know that we are a good side also. It’s going to be interesting.”
Derby head into the encounter coming off the back of a last-gasp 1-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town, the third match this season where the opposition have scored in stoppage time to deny them points.
The Rams have struggled for goals, scoring just seven in 14 Championship games – the lowest of any club in the top four tiers of English football.
The Owls have only found the net 16 times themselves, though a run of six wins in their last nine matches has consolidated their place in the top six as they seek another promotion push.
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