Derby County boss John Eustace makes exciting Portsmouth admission ahead of 'difficult' Championship showdown
Derby County currently sit 10 points above Pompey in the Championship standings ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
John Eustace believes Pompey play an ‘exciting brand of football’ despite a tough start to the Championship campaign.
And the Derby County boss has sent a clear message over his side’s concern home form ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
John Mousinho’s men make the trip to Pride Park this weekend, hoping to put further distance between themselves and the relegation zone.
The Blues will be eyeing successive league victories for the first time this season after last Saturday's impressive 2-1 comeback display against Blackburn Rovers.
Pompey face a Derby side who sit 10 points above them in the standings following their 3-0 triumph over rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday on Monday evening.
A win for Mousinho’s men could move them as many as four points clear of the bottom three heading into Christmas, while the Rams could close the deficit to the play-offs once again.
Derby boss makes exciting Pompey admission
But Eustace is well aware of the ‘difficult’ challenge which presents itself against Pompey this weekend, with the Derby boss full of admiration for the Blues.
He told BBC Radio Derby: ‘Every game is very, very difficult. I think that’s been proven in the Championship already.
‘Portsmouth are a really exciting team. I’ve seen the last three or four games and they play an exciting brand of football.
‘John’s doing a great job there, he coaches the team very, very well so we know it’s going to be a really difficult game on Saturday.’
Although Derby head into the contest sitting 12th in the Championship, Eustace’s men will be looking to improve their home form this weekend.
Despite Monday’s 3-0 triumph away to Sheffield Wednesday, the Rams have failed to claim maximum points in any of their previous three on home soil.
Derby’s Pride Park struggles ahead of Pompey
And while Eustace isn’t alarmed by their current form, the head coach has stressed results will even themselves out over the course of the campaign.
He added: ‘When you look at the home results, we could’ve had two or three more victories. Over the course of the season it will level itself out.
I’ve been happy overall with the home performances, we haven’t won as many - of course we haven’t - but over the course of the season I'm confident we will get some more victories.
‘Certainly not for myself (different pressures of playing at home). The players who are playing in front of 30,000 at home, there’s big expectations I suppose. But that’s what we’re here for, that’s what the players get paid for and that’s why we get paid to coach.
‘I don’t think there’s been any terrible games at home where we haven’t been competitive - even the Leicester game. If we had scored the second, we could’ve got a third or fourth.
‘The most important thing for me is over the course of the season we get judged on our home and away form and we’ll see where we end up.’