The international break is over, and Paul Warne is busy getting his Derby County players ready for the weekend’s game against Preston North End, but it looks like two injured stars are not involved in those preparations.
We are now one-third of the way into the Championship season, and newly-promoted Derby County have found their feet pretty quickly upon their return to the second tier.
Up next for Derby is a crunch clash against Preston North End, who have struggled this season. Indeed, if the Rams are to pull away from any kind of a relegation battle this year, they will need to be getting results against teams like Preston.
But, when it comes to injury news for Derby County ahead of the game, we may have just gotten a huge hint that two key players will still be out of action.
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David Ozoh and Callum Elder absent from training video
A video was shared on Twitter/X by the club’s official account on Tuesday afternoon, showing the Derby County squad training in the facilities at snow-covered at Moor Farm.
While the likes of Ebou Adams, Dajaune Brown, and Eiran Cashin are seen strutting their stuff on the turf, there were two very notable absences from the clip in the form of David Ozoh and Callum Elder.
It was hoped Ozoh might return to the Derby County lineup for the Preston game, with the midfielder on his way back from a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Elder was a ‘big doubt’ for the Plymouth game before the international break, but is also thought to be close to a comeback very soon.
However, the fact the pair were not in the training footage at all would suggest they are not quite ready to be involved in team sessions, let alone a competitive match.
Of course, it could be the case that the players were simply not included in the edit by coincidence. Still, one would assume that, with fans eager to know when Ozoh and Elder will be back, the club would have put them front and centre if there was good news to share.
David Ozoh could be difference for Derby County when he’s fit
Ozoh was one of the most exciting summer signings for Derby County, and has shown real glimpses of what he can do. But, sadly, the young midfielder has been very limited due to his injury issues.
When he returns, Paul Warne’s side will surely benefit from his defensive qualities, as well as his incredible range of passing and his ability to dictate the flow of the game from deep.
| Statistics | David Ozoh (2024/25) | Ebou Adams (2024/25) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 7 | 16 |
| Goals | 1 | 1 |
| Pass completion | 94.1% | 70.4% |
| Tackles and interceptions per 90 | 6.50 | 6.38 |
| Touches per 90 | 35.8 | 40.7 |
In the meantime, the Rams have coped fairly well thanks to Ozoh’s replacement. In Ebou Adams, Derby County have the best tackler and interceptor in England’s top four divisions, with statistics to prove it.
Once Ozoh is fit, it will be very interesting to see whether Warne swaps Adams out, or makes room for both players. If he does the latter, it would give Kenzo Goudmijn even more freedom to roam into more advanced positions, and that could be very useful indeed.