Derby County goalkeeper David Marshall believes injuries to key players have played a major role in the side’s struggles for form of late, Herald Scotland report.
The Rams currently embark on a seven-game winless run.
Derby’s form is some contrast to Wayne Rooney’s opening stint as interim manager as the Rams picked up 31 points from 16 games following the move in November.
Rooney guided Derby to top six form, which saw them climb to within just five points of the top half following the 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town last month.
A winless run in March, however, has seen them fall back into the relegation scrap and Marshall claims injuries to key players have played a major part in their decline.
“We had a really good start when he came in and just in the last six or seven games we’ve had a few injuries and it has culminated in a drop in form. I think everybody should be fit when go back and we can get back to form that he had us in initially, which I think was top six in the form table. We should have enough quality there and this break came at a good time for us to get everybody back fit,” Marshall explained.
Derby’s run of three draws and four defeats in their last seven games has coincided with plenty of chopping and changing to the starting eleven and a lack of identity.
The injury to Krystian Beilik, however, can’t be understated given his importance.
Derby picked up 20 points from 11 games between early December and Bielik’s injury against Bristol City on January 30, conceding only three goals.
In the subsequent 12 games since the Pole’s absence, Derby have recorded just 13 points and conceded a whopping 19 goals, keeping just two clean sheets.
Marshall, Lee Gregory, Matt Clarke, Tom Lawrence and Nathan Byrne have also been absent at times with injuries, but none can be compared to the impact of losing Bielik.
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