Attacker Tom Barkhuizen says Derby County 'just want to keep winning games' ahead of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy Round of 16 clash with Bradford City at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday evening (7pm kick-off).
The Rams are looking to build on Saturday's 3-1 victory over Fleetwood Town in Sky Bet League One, their first win of 2024, and progress into the Quarter-Finals of the competition against the Bantams.
Speaking to RamsTV ahead of the Trophy clash, Barkhuizen reflected on Saturday's victory and previewed Tuesday evening's match with the Sky Bet League Two side.
On the Fleetwood victory on Saturday...
I think we showed a great reaction to the Peterborough defeat. We kind of fell straight back into that run of form we were on beforehand. We dominated large parts of the game and came away with a 3-1 win.
On his late goal...
It's always nice to get goals and help the team win and at 2-1 up, you're always a little bit edgy and nervy. My goal kind of sealed it. I was happy to come on and make a difference.
On making a difference from the bench...
Whether you're starting or on the bench, it's pretty much like-for-like for quality. We've got a couple of the lads back from injury and have a couple more coming back now. As a squad in general, I feel that we've got one of the strongest squads in the league and that's why we're up at the top end of the table. I'm the first to hold my hands up and admit I don't like it when I'm not playing, but I don't think any professional in the industry is when they aren't starting.
We all want to be out there and fighting for each other, fighting for the club and showing what we can do. It's important to react in the right way and as you get older you learn to accept the reasons why you aren't playing and then you've just got to do your best when you get back in. As a squad, we've been really good this season with people not letting it hang over into the dressing room if they've not been starting. Everyone supports each other and push each other on and I think you can see that when lads do come off the bench, they have the bit between their teeth and go and do the job.
On where the squad are at the moment...
We had a tricky start to the season, but over the last 11 games we've been pretty consistent and after the fifth game or so we've been sailing along pretty well and we just need to continue that. It's good to be in and around it at this point. You don't win the league in January, but you can definitely lose it.
On knockout football in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy...
A game is a game to me, I won't lose any sleep over it being a knockout one or a league one. I don't think many people will. We want to win whether it's a knockout game or a league fixture. We want to win and we have a good group full of winners that really emphasise how important it is to get runs going. I don't think you win nine matches out of eleven if you don't have that mentality. It's just a case of keep going and keep winning.
On facing Bradford City...
It probably helps that we got knocked out by a lower league opposition in the FA Cup, so we have to make sure that we're switched on even more. We've all been at clubs where we've been the underdog at some point, so we understand what they'll be thinking and it's important we stay switched on and have the same mindset to win. If you come off it five or ten per cent then we'll lose so we have to make sure we don't do that.
