Derby’s hopes of Championship safety suffered a blow in midweek as Cardiff claimed the three points in a 1-0 victory over the Rams.

Wayne Rooney’s side had held on until the 85^th minute and it looked like they might seal at least a point, only for Uche Ikpeazu to fire the Bluebirds to victory right before the end.

It was disappointing for Derby, who had the lions share of possession and had plenty of chances to bag a goal of their own. The club will be disheartened to come away with nothing from the fixture, especially considering that they are now several points from safety.

However, one player who can hold their head up high despite that defeat is youngster Eiran Cashin, who shone in the Rams backline.

Despite being just 20-years-old, he played with a maturity far beyond his years and looks like he could be one of the first names on the team-sheet going forward. In fact, his displays this year suggest he could be the heart of the Rams defence for years to come – if they can keep hold of him of course.

Part of the reason why Derby held out for so long in the fixture against Cardiff is due to his work at the back. With four interceptions and five tackles during the game (as per SofaScore), he was a rock at the back and continued to halt the Bluebirds attacks even though their strikers have much more experience than him.

He kept Cardiff at bay and continued to hold firm until they finally fell just before the end of the game. Cashin though shone as one of the best on either side, winning all of his six duels on the ground too and 4 of his five in the air. He was absolutely imperious at the back and commanded the backline like a leader of men.

There are plenty of wise heads in that Derby team right now but Cashin played far better and beyond any of them and looked like he himself was the one with the wealth of EFL experience. It is a promising sign for the club that they have an exceptional defender on their hands – and he is likely to continue to feature readily until the end of the campaign.