John Eustace confirms major Derby County injury blow as Jack Robinson faces race against time

Derby County have suffered another setback ahead of their Championship trip to Sheffield United, with captain Lewis Travis ruled out until after the next international break.

The Rams are desperate to pick up only their second league victory of the season, but their preparations have been disrupted by a growing list of injury problems.

Travis sustained an ankle injury during last weekend’s defeat to Stoke City. The midfielder attempted to continue playing before eventually being substituted, having been involved in the challenge that led to Luke Graham scoring the winning goal.

The Derby captain subsequently underwent a scan to establish the extent of the damage, with John Eustace now confirming that he will miss the club’s next four matches.

It is a significant blow for the Rams, who will have to cope without one of their key players during an important period of the campaign.

Alex Mowatt faces fitness battle ahead of Sheffield United clash

Derby could also be without Alex Mowatt for Saturday’s visit to Bramall Lane after the midfielder missed the Stoke defeat because of a foot injury.

Mowatt sustained a deep cut during the previous match against Queens Park Rangers and required stitches. He is now racing against time to recover before Derby face Chris Wilder’s side.

Speaking ahead of the game, Eustace confirmed the extent of Travis’ injury and admitted that Mowatt’s availability remains uncertain.

“Trav’s going to be out until after the next international break,” the Derby boss said.

“That’s obviously a big blow to us over the next four games.”

Explaining how the injury occurred, Eustace added that it was different from the problem that had previously kept Travis out of action.

“He went in for a tackle, and he’s just gone over on his ankle, unfortunately.”

On Mowatt’s condition, the manager said: “Alex will be touch-and-go for the weekend. He hasn’t really trained yet, so we’ll have to wait and see with him.

“He had a bad cut to the foot, and he’s had stitches in that, so we’ll see on that.”

Travis’ absence could leave Derby without as many as 11 players for the Sheffield United encounter, depending on whether Mowatt recovers in time.

John Eustace provides Jack Robinson update

Derby’s defensive injury problems have prompted the club to bring in Jack Robinson as a free agent, but the experienced defender is still working towards full match fitness.

Robinson previously played for Birmingham City and Sheffield United, helping the Blades secure promotion to the Premier League during his time at Bramall Lane.

His arrival could provide valuable cover for Eustace, although his lack of recent competitive football means he may not be ready to feature immediately.

Robinson has not played a competitive match since last season and has spent the past several weeks without a full training programme.

Eustace confirmed that the defender has completed some exercises with the squad but has yet to participate in an entire training session.

“He has taken part in a couple of exercises, but he hasn’t taken part in the whole session yet,” the manager explained.

The Derby boss also pointed out that Robinson had completed pre-season at Birmingham before spending the following eight or nine weeks doing very little beyond light running.

However, Eustace remains optimistic that the defender will regain his fitness relatively quickly.

“It won’t take him too long to get up to speed. He’s a very experienced pro. He’s still kept himself in good shape, so let’s wait and see.”

Derby County face selection headache before crucial trip

With Travis definitely unavailable and Mowatt a doubt, Derby face difficult selection decisions ahead of their meeting with Sheffield United.

Robinson’s potential involvement would offer Eustace another defensive option, but the manager must first determine whether the former Blades defender is ready for competitive action.

The Rams need to find a way to stop their poor run of results, and their injury situation makes that task even more challenging.

Saturday’s clash presents another opportunity for Derby to secure a much-needed victory, but Eustace will be hoping his remaining players can deliver despite the growing list of absentees.