3/1 To Win
Fikayo Tomori has helped Derby County to three consecutive clean sheets but insists the team needs to be 'on top of their game' when they return to KCOM Stadium on Saturday.
The Rams were cool and controlled as they dismantled Hull City in the 4-0 Carabao Cup victory on Tuesday night.
In a Derby squad that saw eight changes to the starting XI from the 2-0 victory over Preston North End, Tomori praised his team-mates’ approach to stepping up and proving themselves within a team that is full of competition.
The defender's former loan club have had a slow start to the season, tasting three defeats, a win and a draw in the Sky Bet Championship. The Tigers also had a re-shuffle of their squad for the midweek clash, making nine changes in total.
Despite meeting the same opposition five days apart, Tomori is expecting it to be a very different match-up but said they must approach the game with the same mindset.
“We played well and regardless of the changes, we had to beat the team in front of us,” Tomori told RamsTV.
“Everyone played their part, people that hadn’t been in the team for a while came in and showed the manager what they can do. Having that sort of mentality in the squad is good for the whole season.
“We know going there on Saturday it will be a different game and we need to be on top of our game.
“We have to apply ourselves in the same way and hopefully we can replicate that performance.”
The Rams have picked up momentum over the past couple of weeks, scoring eight goals in the last three games without conceding.
The 20-year-old has been at the heart of the defence that has managed to shut out Ipswich Town, Preston and Hull, alongside Richard Keogh.
The pair complement each other well, with youth combined with experience and have seen their relationship on the pitch grow.
With nine new signings this summer, the duo aren’t the only ones that have had to quickly adapt.
“Since myself and Richard Keogh’s first game together against Leeds, I think we have been pretty solid,” the centre-back said.
“That’s three clean sheets in a row. That’s a positive for not only us but the whole back-four in general.
“The team as well, knowing that we can score goals and keep them out at the other end because clean sheets win games at the end of the day.
“In recent games against Ipswich and Preston we have seen that the relationships are starting to grow. People are coming in and wanting to do well, talking and communicating and on the training pitch everyone is working well. That’s only positive.”
After a couple of weeks at the club, Tomori has proven on the pitch that he has settled in well and has credited that partly to his defensive cohort as well as familiar faces who were already in the dressing room.
It’s the Chelsea player’s third loan away from Stamford Bridge and explained that he is grateful to have Keogh there by his side.
He said: “He knows the game well and has been here for a long time. Learning off him and having him by my side talking me through the game is a great help. He has helped me to settle into the team as well.
“In this changing room, it was easy to settle in and everyone was really friendly and welcomed me into the team. Having people like Mason Mount and Harry Wilson here who I already knew, and Jody Morris and the Gaffer made it easier as well. It has been an easy transition.”
