Derby County: Paul Warne facing call that will interest both Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace - View | OneFootball

Marcus Harness was exceptional against QPR, and could give David Ozoh a bit of a fight to win back his place in the team.

Derby County returned to winning ways at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday in impressive fashion, pushing aside a struggling QPR side with a 2-0 victory.

It was the fourth win of the Rams' season, with all of them coming at home so far, and was an excellent reaction following three straight losses in the Championship.

Curtis Nelson's powerful header in the 54th minute, followed by Marcus Harness' curling effort just a minute later, handed Paul Warne's team all three points in front of 29,305 spectators in a sun-soaked Derby.

Jerry Yates came close to adding a third with 20 minutes left on the clock, but an impressive save from Paul Nardi in the QPR goal stopped the striker, who is on loan from Swansea City, from finding the back of the net for the first time in the black-and-white of the Rams.

Nevertheless, it was an extremely complete performance from Derby in the second-half, with Harness especially proving why he was brought in on loan on deadline day in the summer.

Harness' performance was excellent in the second-half against QPR

While he has perhaps struggled to show what he can truly do in limited appearances off the bench in previous matches, Saturday was the first proper chance that the attacking midfielder was given in a near-full-strength side.

Harness was given his full debut for the Rams in the game prior, as Derby fell to a 2-0 defeat against top of the table Sunderland, but with Pride Park bouncing, the weekend was the perfect chance for the 28-year-old to be given his first start at home.

Warne's side struggled to match the high standards that they have set for themselves in front of their own supporters in the first-half against QPR, but the second 45 was a lot better, and saw the team play at a level that was much closer to their usual one.

Playing in an advanced role ahead of the deep-lying Kenzo Goudmijn and Ebou Adams, Harness quickly pressed at the Rs defence in the second-half. He went close to opening the scoring just after the break, firing a shot from inside the box that was blocked out for the corner that led to Nelson's goal.

He continued to press immediately following kick-off after the opener, with the Rams' attackers and midfielders uniting to force their opponents into a mistake almost instantly. Harness found a free position in the box, and when he received the ball from Kayden Jackson he fired a curling shot into the far corner, surprising Nardi and the QPR faithful - sealing the points.

Warne faces a selection headache following the international break

Although he would have been delighted by how Harness played on Saturday, it makes the coming weeks huge for Warne as players start to return from injury.

David Ozoh, while still touch-and-go for the clash against Millwall in just over a week's time, will be looking to slot back into the starting XI after picking up a hamstring injury against Cardiff City in September when he is fully fit.

It is a situation that will have both Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town interested as they will hope that their respective players on loan at Pride Park can win the battle to become the third midfielder alongside Adams and Goudmijn.

For Palace, it is imperative that their 19-year-old gets the minutes that are needed to enhance his development, and to get him to a level where he is potentially ready for the Premier League when he returns to Selhurst Park at the end of the season.

On the other hand, the Tractor Boys will be hoping that Harness can continue to maintain fitness and match sharpness across the year - especially if they are relegated from the top flight. He could be useful to Kieran McKenna in the second tier in 2025/26 if Ipswich are not able to survive, and keeping him readily available throughout his time at Derby will only help him slot back in at Portman Road.

However, with the ever-changing landscape of the Championship and Warne requiring different attributes from his players in different situations, the decision to play one of Ozoh or Harness may change dependent on the opponent, and will not be something that is set-in-stone.

If Derby's 19-year-old defensive midfielder can return from his time away from the team at the same level as he left it, then Harness may have to sit and wait for his opportunity once again, but with more performances like his one against QPR, he could force his manager into making another choice.