Curtis Davies insists the Rams are focused on being ‘the best versions’ of themselves and proving their doubters wrong in the clash against Preston North End.


Derby County head to Deepdale on Easter Monday to take on the Lilywhites in the Sky Bet Championship, kick-off: 12:45pm.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Rams who are eager to put Friday night’s 4-1 defeat to Sunderland behind them and grasp at an opportunity for immediate redemption – leaving no time to dwell.

“The glory of football is that being Easter weekend we have a game in three days and a chance to put it right. We need to look at ourselves and put the action on to the pitch,” Davies told dcfc.co.uk following the defeat at home to Sunderland.

“We are back live on Sky again and we will have to prove our doubters wrong.”

The Rams saw no movement in the league table after the loss against relegation-threatened Sunderland, remaining in 5th place.

The Derby defender refuses to look back on the past, especially a recent run that has seen five ties and three losses in the last eight matches with the last win coming on February 3rd against Brentford.

Preston will also be mounting their own redemption campaign after they joined Derby on the losing end of a 4-1 result away at Sheffield Wednesday.

Before dropping to 10th in the league, the Lilywhites were gaining momentum having won three of their last four matches.

Despite the recent results, Davies insists the team have their blinders on with the focus only on the match ahead.

He added: “Preston have had a solid bit of momentum lately rather than the form that we have been in. But I don’t really look at other team’s results it’s down to us to make sure we perform.

“It’s all about doing what you do and making sure you give the best versions of yourself rather than worrying yourselves about what others are doing.”

Derby will look to complete the double against Preston this season after Matej Vydra scored the only goal in the first meeting at Pride Park from a spot kick.

Eight games remain on the regular league campaign and the Rams are still fully in the play-off mix.

Three of those games come against teams in the top-three – Wolves, Cardiff City and Aston Villa while Preston and Middlesbrough are both currently within a point of Derby.