Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth has insisted there is no chance that Derby County will be relegated from the Championship this season.

Derby currently sit bottom of the Championship table, five points adrift of safety having won just one of their 14 league games this season, after Ainsworth saw his Wycombe side come from behind to draw 1-1 at Pride Park on Saturday, thanks to Matt Bloomfield's first goal of the season.

But despite those troubles at the minute, Ainsworth still expects the Rams to be a feature in the Championship next season.

Giving his assessment of the match after the full time whistle, Ainsworth was quoted by Derbyshire Live as saying: “Derby definitely had the first half but second half, I thought we were the better side and for me, it’s a huge point against a club that I don’t believe will be in the bottom three come the end of the season."

Indeed, Ainsworth still believes that this result is a sign of how far his side have come even with the struggles Derby have faced this season, as he went on to add: “We celebrated a point in League One away at Sunderland two years ago like it was the best thing that this club had ever done so to come to somewhere like Derby County and get a point I think is just phenomenal for Wycombe Wanderers."

Wycombe meanwhile, remain 22nd in the Championship table after that draw, three points from safety, although Ainsworth is also confident his side will be in the second-tier next season, claiming: “We’ve only lost one in seven now in the Championship and I don’t think anyone would have said that statistic would have been read out this season.

“I’m really pleased, really proud and I firmly believe I’ve got a squad that will scrap and fight and have all the tools to stay in this division.”

The Verdict

At the minute, I would have to agree with Ainsworth's comments about Derby here.

There is still plenty of time remaining in the season, and with a takeover at Pride Park seemingly in the offing, as well as a new manager to appoint, there is plenty of scope for the Rams to turn things round.

However, you do feel that that is dependent on those changes happening, because if they don't, it is hard to see just how Derby are going to start picking up the results they need to get out of trouble in their current situation.

As for Wycombe, their lack of experience means it feels as though avoiding relegation will be a challenge for them this season, although recent performances have admittedly offered room for encouragement.