Curtis Davies revealed his delight at playing in front of the Derby County fans as they were beaten by Manchester United in a pre-season friendly yesterday.

Despite the 2-1 loss to the Red Devils, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the Rams, with Wayne Rooney's side, that included several trialists and the out-of-contract Davies, playing some stylish football on occasions.

And, taking to Twitter after the game, the experienced centre-back explained why he was pleased with the workout.

"Great to have the fans back at Pride Park. Really enjoyable game today against Manchester United, played some great stuff considering it’s early days. Feeling the benefit of all the hard work so far!"

The 36-year-old is currently a free agent after his deal with Derby expired in the summer but he has remained training with the team and there is an expectancy that a contract will be offered to the defender once the east Midlands outfit have their current embargo lifted.

Davies featured in just 13 games last season for the club after a serious injury kept him out for much of the campaign. However, he did play through the pain barrier to help Rooney's side secure safety on a dramatic final day.

The verdict

There were a lot of positives for Derby to take from yesterday's game, so Davies assessment is a fair one and it's great to get an insight from a player on what a difference the crowd make.

The former Aston Villa man has been a brilliant professional for Derby over the years and he would thoroughly warrant a new deal.

Now, Davies, Rooney and all the fans will hope this can get sorted so the defender can sign fresh terms, along with the trialists who impressed as well.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.