John Eustace issues Derby County verdict and makes crucial point after Leeds loss

Latest Derby County news from DerbyshireLive features John Eustace’s reaction following the Rams’ 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Premier League opposition Leeds United.

Despite the loss, Eustace praised his side’s commitment and felt their first-half display fully deserved its reward.

Derby went into the break 1-0 ahead at Pride Park after Ben Brereton Diaz found the net, but Leeds turned the tie around early in the second half.

Goals from Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka in quick succession shifted the momentum, before James Justin sealed the result in stoppage time as Derby pushed for an equaliser.

Eustace made six changes to his starting line-up, using the opportunity to give valuable minutes to several players. Lewis Travis, Danny Batth and Craig Forsyth all featured, while January signing Oscar Fraulo made his debut.

Assessing the performance, the Derby boss said he was delighted with the overall effort from his squad, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.

“I’m really pleased with the group’s effort,” Eustace said. “I thought we were really good value for money in the first half.

“We were able to get important minutes into a lot of players who needed them. With the number of changes we made, it was great to see Lewis Travis back out there, playing his first 60 minutes in 11 weeks.”

Eustace also highlighted the positives of giving opportunities to squad players, including David Ozoh, who featured after the break, along with Batth and Forsyth.

“These players needed time on the pitch,” he added. “I thought we were competitive throughout and I was pleased with the effort.”

Derby’s first-half performance was a standout, with Brereton Diaz showing composure to finish after impressive build-up play from Corey Blackett-Taylor. Eustace acknowledged the quality of the opposition, praising Leeds’ strength in depth.

“The first half was excellent,” he said. “We were up against a top team with top players. They’ve got an excellent squad and have improved again from last season.

“It was always going to be a tough challenge, but the effort the lads put in was very good. The most pleasing thing for me was getting much-needed minutes into a lot of players.”