"Absolutely ridiculous" - Sky Sports pundit makes claim on Paul Warne's Derby County future | OneFootball

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Pundit Jobi McAnuff believes it would have been "absolutely ridiculous" for Derby County to sack manager Paul Warne.

Pressure had been increasing on Warne in recent weeks, but the 50-year-old picked up a much-needed victory as his side recorded a 4-0 win over Northampton Town at Pride Park on Tuesday.

Max Bird's double and Conor Washington's strike put the Rams firmly in control before half time, and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing added a fourth just after the break to seal all three points.

Derby currently sit seventh in the League One table, and they are now just two points from the play-off places, but they are still eight points behind second-placed Oxford United and 11 points behind leaders Portsmouth.

Derbyshire Live claimed earlier this week that the club have given their "full backing" to Warne, and "will give him the ability to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window", but Football Insider reported on Wednesday that the Rams are weighing up a move for former Birmingham City manager John Eustace.

Derby are back in action when they make the trip to face League Two side Crewe Alexandra at the Mornflake Stadium on Sunday.

What did Jobi McAnuff say?

McAnuff, who works for Sky Sports and the BBC among others, says that it would have been the wrong decision for the Rams to part company with Warne, and he believes the victory over Northampton in midweek could be a turning point.

"I'm going to go for Derby though, just in terms of the pressure that Paul Warne was under," McAnuff said on the BBC's Football Daily podcast.

"There were rumours leading up to that last game that potentially a decision had been made, and certainly mumblings and murmurs behind the scenes that it was time for him to go, which I would have found absolutely ridiculous.

"Then they go and get a result that I think everybody's been waiting for at that football club, him more than anybody else, but it just amazed me so far this season that when you look at the quality of the goals they scored the other day, Max Bird chipping in getting himself going, Mendez-Laing, Conor Washington, that this hasn't happened before.

"I know he's had injuries to contend with, probably hasn't been able to get out what he would consider his best team on enough occasions, but this was a huge win. "The style, which has been a huge problem for him and a criticism by those Derby County fans in terms of what they're seeing on the pitch, I think it was exactly the type of result and performance that they have been demanding. "So I think this could be a real big turning point for them, and from a player's perspective, when you have that level of performance and you feel that it just starts clicking, I certainly expect them to kick on from it.

"Huge, huge win, Sonny Bradley, who's struggled since his move in the summer, again starts, I just feel there was a lot of positivity to come out of it, and certainly for him personally, it will be a huge shot in the arm."

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What next for Derby County?

It was a crucial victory for Derby against Northampton on Tuesday night.

As McAnuff says, it is a surprise that the Rams have not produced that kind of performance on a more regular basis this season given the quality in their squad.

The win over the Cobblers has eased the pressure on Warne for now, and McAnuff is right that he should be given more time having won three promotions from League One previously with Rotherham United.

But with reports that the Rams are considering potential replacements, Warne must ensure his side perform consistently, or it will not be long before there is scrutiny on his position once again.