Derby County: John Eustace has huge Nathaniel Mendez-Laing decision to make v Swansea City | OneFootball

The Rams face the Swans on Saturday afternoon looking for their fifth win in a row, but they will be without Jerry Yates.

Derby County made it four wins in a row with a 2-0 victory over Preston North End, sending the club on their best run of form since July 2020.

The Rams picked up three incredibly vital points after a two-and-a-half wait following the international break, with two goals in four minutes from Craig Forsyth and Jerry Yates sending John Eustace's side out of the bottom three and into 20th in the Championship.

Cardiff City have moved into the relegation zone as a result of the East Midlands outfit's success at Pride Park Stadium, while Hull City have also moved below them on goals scored, with confidence flowing in DE24.

Derby head into their clash against Swansea City knowing that another win could see them put clear daylight between themselves and those in the drop zone, but they will be without their talisman, Yates, with the 28-year-old unavailable to play against his parent club.

Eustace has a huge decision to make ahead of this weekend about who replaces his number 10, and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing will be keen to make an impression in training before Saturday.

Eustace has a decision to make involving Mendez-Laing v Swansea

The Rams have struggled with injuries throughout this season and this has had a massive impact on team selection on a near-weekly basis. The forward department has been hit particularly hard, with Dajaune Brown, Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and Kemar Roofe all currently sidelined.

Add in Yates' unavailability for Saturday, and Eustace's challenge of registering a fifth successive win becomes even tougher.

The 45-year-old has used a 5-3-2 formation throughout the majority of his short time in charge of Derby, and Marcus Harness has slotted into the free role next to the striker perfectly in recent weeks, but he needs a partner for Saturday.

There is a decision to make as to whether Mendez-Laing starts for the first time since the Rams' 4-0 defeat to QPR in February, their head coach's debut game in charge, or if Kayden Jackson is given the opportunity to lead the line.

Both players have found it difficult to adjust to the Championship in 2024/25, and they have grappled with their form over the course of the campaign. However, there is an opportunity to impress on Saturday in South Wales, and Derby need their replacement to prove their worth.

Mendez-Laing is lacking confidence and could find it tough again at the weekend

Mendez-Laing spent time in the treatment room before the international break after suffering from a knock, but he did travel to Central America to play for Guatemala at the end of March and it seems as though he has retained his fitness levels.

Despite this, his confidence is extremely low with this season proving to be a difficult one for his goal contributions. He has found the back of the net only twice in the league, while picking up just four assists.

However, on his day, the ex-Cardiff ace can provide moments of quality and he does have the speed and skill to cause issues in the final third. If Eustace can find a tune out of him in training ahead of the trip to Swansea, then he could be the ideal choice to replace Yates.

Nevertheless, losing the loanee will be tough for Derby to cope with, as his work rate and tenacity makes him a key part of the Rams' attacking play. Whoever steps in, needs to step-up, as the Rams aim to extend this fine run and secure their Championship status.