Derby County: Rotherham United, Oxford United factors add to Paul Warne pressure | OneFootball

The Rams are on a barren run of form, and the relegation zone has drawn closer and closer in recent weeks.

Derby County have dropped off the pace significantly over the last couple of months, and after a strong start to the season, they are now languishing just above the bottom three.

A 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Tuesday evening was the Rams' fifth loss in the Championship in a row, and they are now 20th in the table, just a point above the drop zone.

Paul Warne's side have won only four of their last 24 games in the league, and the frustrations of supporters have started to grow, with those around them in much better form.

Derby have to start picking up wins sooner rather than later to help them in their bid for survival, but their manager's poor historic Championship record, as well as the improvement of Oxford United will only add to the pressure on the 51-year-old.

Warne has struggled in the Championship in the past

Warne has managed just two clubs in his managerial career so far, having left Rotherham United to join the Rams in September 2022.

League One has been his specialty since he first took over at the New York Stadium, firstly as the caretaker manager of the Millers in November 2016, before he was made the permanent boss later that season.

After suffering relegation in his first year in charge of the South Yorkshire side, he won promotion from League One straight away, and this pattern continued.

All in all, he won promotion to the Championship three times with Rotherham, while also finishing in the relegation zone three times, before leaving for Derby, when his former side were fifth in the second tier.

He finished second with the Rams in his first full season in charge at Pride Park in League One in 2023/24, but his trend of relegation following promotion looks set to continue if nothing changes soon.

His record in the division is poor. Although he has not had the funds to help make the necessary changes to his teams to help fight against the drop, the same threat is looming once again, and supporters will have questions about his ability to keep a team in the Championship.

There is no doubting Warne's expertise in League One, but it looks as though the struggles that have plagued him in a higher division in the past are coming back to haunt him once again at Derby.

Oxford have shown that bringing an experienced Championship manager in helps

Derby's hierarchy have backed their manager to turn the situation and drag the Rams away from the relegation zone before the end of the season, but there is still pressure on him to bring home results.

Oxford have had a spectacular upturn in form since Gary Rowett took over at the helm following the sacking of Des Buckingham in December, and they are now nine points ahead of their fellow League One promotion winners.

While Rowett's football is not fashionable, it is effective, and it brings results in the Championship. Derby have experienced his style in the past, and it helped them to a sixth place finish before they were beaten by Fulham in the play-off semi-finals in 2018.

The Yellows' improvements will only add to the pressure on Warne, and despite his future being secure for now, if his side's run continues any longer, then David Clowes may be forced into a decision.