3/1 To Win
Twelve months ago today, Frank Lampard was announced as Derby County’s manager.
A year on from when he walked through the doors at Pride Park Stadium for the first time, there have been many great moments to savour on the pitch.
dcfc.co.uk has picked out five of the Rams’ top moments under Lampard from the 2018/19 season.
Reading 1-2 Derby County: Welcome To The Late Show
Lampard’s managerial career kicked off with a Friday night trip to the Madejski Stadium and Tom Lawrence’s dramatic late winner secured all three points for Derby on a memorable evening.
Given his profile and standing within the game, the spotlight was naturally firmly on the 40-year-old as he stood in the technical area for the first time in a competitive fixture.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson had headed Reading into a second-half lead from Mo Barrow's deep cross, but debutant Mason Mount drew Derby level when his left-foot shot carried too much power for Reading goalkeeper Vito Mannone to keep out.
Then, with time running out, the Rams snatched a dramatic late winner. Mason Bennett’s cross into the box was met by the head of Lawrence, who directed the ball into the far corner to spark wild celebrations.
"It's great for us, that's the sort of thing I'm back in the game for," said Lampard when speaking after the final whistle. "It's not going to happen every week, I'm fully aware of that.
"Make no mistake, we didn't deserve to win the game, and there are lots of big things for us to improve on, but let's not take away that feeling.”
It was some start and some comeback - and a sign of things to come.
Manchester United 2-2 Derby County (7-8 on Penalties): The Master Vs The Apprentice
The cup competitions provided Derby with a platform to showcase their talents throughout the 2018/19 season and the trip to Old Trafford in September was no different.
After defeating Oldham Athletic and Hull City away from home in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup another trip on the road, to Premier League giants Manchester United, awaited in Round Three.
With Lampard taking on his former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, there was understandably plenty of attention surrounding the tie. While much of the focus was on the two managers, it was ultimately Derby’s performance on the pitch that left everyone purring.
In an incident-packed tie, United took the lead early on through Juan Mata’s calm finish.
Derby, however, bounced back and stamped their authority on the game before Harry Wilson equalised with a brilliant dipping free-kick from 30 yards out just before the hour mark.
United goalkeeper Sergio Romero was then sent off for handball outside his area, resulting in a debut for ex-Derby goalkeeper Lee Grant, before Jack Marriott's first goal for the club put Derby 2-1 ahead. However, the hosts levelled in added time through substitute Marouane Fellaini to send the match to penalties.
After 15 successful spot-kicks, Scott Carson saved Phil Jones' effort low to his left to secure a famous victory and Lampard celebrated with his players on the pitch in front of around 3,000 travelling Rams fans.
"I'm shell-shocked. To go down early at Old Trafford and play as well as they did was superb. I am a proud manager," said Lampard in his post-match press conference.
A trip to Lampard’s former club, Chelsea, was served up in Round Four. Despite going down 3-2 at Stamford Bridge, Derby once again stepped up on the big stage.
Norwich City 3-4 Derby County: Lights Out!
If the intention to round off 2018 with a bang, Lampard’s side did just that when they travelled to Carrow Road to take on promotion rivals Norwich City in their final game of the year.
Not only did Derby come back from behind to claim all three points in the seven-goal thriller, there was also the added drama of the floodlights failing in the second half.
Norwich dominated early on and led through goals from Ben Godfrey and Teemu Pukki, but Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount’s fine finishes had Derby back level by half-time.
Pukki restored Norwich’s lead nine minutes from time, before the floodlights went out in one section of the ground. The players had to return to the dressing rooms for 20 minutes while work was carried out to get the lights back working again.
When Derby returned to the pitch they flew out of the traps and grabbed quickfire late goals through Florian Jozefzoon and Jack Marriott, the latter coming in added time, to secure a dramatic and memorable victory.
Lampard couldn’t hide his delight after the game after seeing his side display the strength of character to bounce back against the eventual league champions.
"It had everything," Lampard said. "I have certainly never gone back to the dressing room and then come back like that before and as a manager I have never been involved in a game with two late goals like that."
Derby County 3-1 West Bromwich Albion: Play-Offs Secured
Derby went into the final game of the regular league campaign knowing victory over fellow promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion would secure a play-off spot.
Lampard’s side had enjoyed a positive run of form in the closing weeks of the season to leave their destiny in their own hands on the final day.
Martyn Waghorn’s early header had Derby in front at a sold-out Pride Park Stadium but Stefan Johansen equalised for the Baggies after half-time.
At that point, the Rams’ season was over. Middlesbrough were leading at Rotherham United and would therefore leapfrog Derby into the final play-off spot.
However, Lampard made changes and Derby took the game to their opponents. Mason Bennett came off the bench to blast the Rams back in front and moments later Harry Wilson scored from the penalty spot to confirm the three points they craved.
Lampard was beaming with pride at the final whistle as his side dug deep to get the job done.
"Pride is probably the main emotion, to see the team play from 1-1 onwards, with the quality and the work rate and the calm nature to play the football we played," Lampard said.
The victory set up two Play-Off Semi-Final clashes with old rivals Leeds United to battle it out for a place in the Play-Off Final.
Little did anyone know the drama that was about to follow.
Leeds United 2-4 Derby County (3-4 on Aggregate): Wembley Awaits
Derby travelled to Elland Road to take on Leeds United in the Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg with it all to do.
Lampard’s side trailed 1-0 from the First Leg at Pride Park Stadium a few days beforehand courtesy of Kemar Roofe’s well-taken goal.
Leeds had beaten the Rams on all three occasions during the campaign prior to the Second Leg and no side in Championship history had lost a Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg at home and gone on to reach the Final.
History, however, was about to be re-written.
The hosts took the lead on the night to go 2-0 up on aggregate when Stuart Dallas tapped in after Liam Cooper's header had hit the post. At that point, the tie looked over.
Wrong.
Jack Marriott levelled with his first touch after coming off the bench just before half-time following a mix-up between Cooper and goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.
Mason Mount levelled straight after the break to level things up on aggregate before Harry Wilson turned the tie on its head totally when he scored from the penalty spot after Mason Bennett had been fouled.
Leeds hit back, though, as Dallas curled home to make it 3-3 on aggregate soon afterwards. Their cause wasn’t helped when Gaetano Berardi saw red 12 minutes from time for two bookings – and Derby took advantage.
With five minutes of normal time remaining Marriott was played in on goal by skipper Richard Keogh and the striker kept his cool to lift the ball over Casilla and spark wild celebrations.
Scott Malone was sent off late on, also for two yellow cards, but it did little to dampen Derby’s spirits as they overcame the odds to reach the Play-Off Final against Aston Villa.
Wonderful celebrations followed at the final whistle and Lampard was clearly emotional at what his side had achieved.
Speaking after the game, Lampard said: "I'd be naive to say I totally believed we could come back but I had belief in the players.
"As a manager, the pressure is more intense than as a player. I wanted this so badly, you worry you want it too badly. I'm very proud.”
While defeat at Wembley Stadium followed against Villa, no-one associated with Derby County will ever forget that night at Elland Road.
