Paul Warne confirmed a huge injury blow to one of his Derby County first-team stars on Tuesday night.
Derby County extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to three matches after clinching a 1-1 draw against Oxford United.
Dane Scarlett opened the scoring for the hosts before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s piercing strike put the Rams on level terms in the second half.
Paul Warne would have learnt a lot about his Derby players, who were much improved after half-time but he would have also been disappointed to see one of his key stars suffer a long-term injury.
- READ MORE: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing shares what Paul Warne told Derby County squad at half-time vs Oxford United
Ryan Nyambe out injured for 4-6 months
Ryan Nyambe has been a revelation for Derby since arriving on a free transfer in September 2023, and arguably one of Warne’s most consistent players this term.
The 26-year-old played in nine of their first 10 Championship matches, excelling as a defensive machine down the right.
In the match against Millwall last weekend, Nyambe was substituted with a knee injury inside half an hour, with Kane Wilson replacing him off the bench.
Warne was then delivered the worst news, telling supporters in his post-match interview on Tuesday night that Nyambe is facing four to six months on the sidelines.
This came after the Namibian international went for scans on Monday expecting to be out for just a couple of weeks, only to find that he’d suffered a Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury.
For Nyambe and Derby, losing their best defensive full-back is a devastating blow but it only reinforces the importance of Wilson.
Kane Wilson’s time to shine
Wilson started for only the third time in the league this term against Oxford, with the 24-year-old playing alongside Eiran Cashin, Curtis Nelson and Callum Elder in defence.
Warne has often preferred to use Nyambe over the Englishman as he’s more defensively sound, but Wilson can offer excellent ball-carrying attributes and an attacking threat.
Although he isn’t as solid in defensive situations, his capabilities as a weapon going forward can be of help to the Rams.
Derby have often struggled to score goals on their travels, last netting more than once in a single away game against Blackburn Rovers in August.
Since then, they’ve netted just three goals in five matches away from Pride Park, showcasing their struggles to break down defences.
Indeed, Wilson returning to the starting XI could see Warne switch to a three at the back away from home, with the former Bristol City man used as a wing-back and offering an added dimension in attack.