Discovery+ and Quest pundit Ian Holloway says Derby County may have a chance of avoiding relegation from the Championship this season, if they do not receive any more points deductions.

The Rams only avoided relegation on the final day of last season by a single point, and would have been relegated had it not been for a six point deduction handed to Sheffield Wednesday.

This time around however, it is Derby who are having to battle against relegation with the burden of points penalties up against them.

After entering administration last month, the Pride Park have club have already been docked 12 points, meaning they are currently bottom of the Championship table.

That is despite some early impressive season form that has seen Wayne Rooney's side win three and draw five of their 11 league games so far, which would put them 14th in the second-tier standings without that penalty.

However, there is still the prospect of Derby receiving another nine point penalty for breaches of financial fair play regulations hanging over Pride Park.

Now it seems that Holloway believes confirmation of that second sanction would end Derby's hopes of staying in the Championship beyond the end of this season, but that their form so far during the current campaign could get them out of trouble, if only the current 12 point deduction stands.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World about whether he believes Derby can avoid relegation this season in spite of those points deductions, Holloway said: "If they get the second one I can't see it. If it's only the first one then I do believe they could do it. But if you do get that second one then you've got to get some wins as quickly as you can to try and catch up.

"But I think they've shown great character. It's been going against them, they got a man sent off last weekend, they came back and won in midweek (against Reading), I think it's tremendous, absolutely tremendous."

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