Derby County defender Curtis Davies is set for surgery on his Achilles injury today. 

Wayne Rooney's switch into the dugout on an interim basis had heightened the role of Davies in terms of in-game leadership.

However, Davies pulled out of the goalless draw with Brentford with an Achilles injury and looked in some discomfort.

The situation surrounding his injury is not a good one, with Davies now readying himself for surgery on his Achilles later today.

The 35-year-old had made 13 appearances across all competitions this season for the Rams.

Despite the loss of Davies, Derby recorded a 2-0 win over Swansea City last week, but were denied the chance to build on that over the weekend as their fixture with Rotherham United was postponed.

As a result of that, Derby remain in the Championship's bottom three.

However, the picture at Derby is far better than it was a few weeks ago.

The Rams are level on points (16) with Rotherham in the table and are on the cusp of pulling themselves out of the relegation zone for the first time in a long time.

Rooney's side take on Preston North End on Boxing Day.

Quiz: Have any of these 22 players ever been in Derby County’s academy?

The Verdict 

Davies' loss is a big one for Derby. He's a leader and a good defender in the Championship.

An Achilles injury requiring surgery is surely going to rule Davies out long-term and that's a concern for Derby in terms of depth.

There's enough in the immediate squad to cover him, though, as results have shown.

Thoughts? Let us know!