Derby County are in genuine trouble. A 1-1 draw at Sheffield United on Saturday leaves them 23rd in the Championship, and the facts are stark: John Eustace's side have not won a league match since 1 September, a run of six games without victory that is starting to look less like a rough patch and more like a structural problem.

A point that flattered, and a goalkeeper to thank

The draw at Bramall Lane was not earned without cost. According to BBC Final Score pundit Sam Parkin, goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom produced heroics to preserve even that single point. When you need your goalkeeper to be the story, you are not in good shape. Derby will take the point — they had to — but the underlying picture is uncomfortable.

Both clubs came into the fixture having endured indifferent starts, which made it a pivotal six-pointer in the lower half of the table. Sharing the spoils helps neither side, though for Derby, who are deeper in the mire, the cost is arguably higher. A win would have lifted them away from the relegation zone; a draw keeps them anchored inside it.

Injuries, a failed takeover, and a thin squad

Eustace does not have a full deck to play with. The club have been hit by injuries throughout the campaign, and the takeover that supporters hoped would arrive in the summer never materialised. That has left Derby working with a squad that, in Parkin's words, "maybe is not as strong in every department." That is a diplomatic way of saying the depth simply is not there.

It is worth remembering that Derby signed Ryan Robinson on a three-month deal and have already lost Langas until January — the squad is being stretched at exactly the moment they can least afford it. Relying on short-term fixes and a threadbare bench is not a recipe for a run of form, and the Championship is an unforgiving place to be light on options.

The fixture list offers no comfort

Here is where the numbers become uncomfortable. Derby have now gone six Championship matches without a win. The division does not wait. Norwich City, according to Parkin, view an upcoming fixture against Derby as one of two "winnable games" on the horizon as they look to build momentum of their own. When opponents are circling you as a route back to form, you know your standing in the second tier is precarious.

Eustace has spoken calmly throughout this run — perhaps too calmly for some supporters — and Parkin says he retains confidence in the manager to turn things around. That confidence may be justified, but four good games mean very little in this division. Derby have had bright moments already this season and found ways to not convert them into points. A single promising performance will not be enough.

QPR's win over Swansea — and what it tells us

Elsewhere, Queens Park Rangers posted a significant result against Swansea City over the weekend, a match that will shift the mood at both clubs heading into the week. QPR will draw encouragement from the performance; Swansea, who had been pushing near the top of the table, must now absorb a setback and respond. The gap between the promotion places and the chasing pack remains tight, and results like this one can quickly shift the complexion of the table.

What needs to change at Derby

Eustace needs wins, not draws. Derby have showed they can compete on their day — Zetterstrom's display at Bramall Lane suggests the team can still grind — but competing and collecting three points are very different things. The injury situation must improve, and the club will need the players available to start performing consistently, not in flashes.

If Derby are still in the bottom three come November, the pressure will intensify sharply. There are enough fixtures remaining for the club to climb clear, but the window is not open indefinitely. The Championship table is honest: 23rd means the club is in a relegation fight, and it is time to treat it as exactly that.

Frequently asked

Where are Derby County in the Championship table?
Derby County are currently 23rd in the Championship after drawing 1-1 with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, placing them in the relegation zone.
When did Derby County last win a Championship match?
Derby's last Championship win came on 1 September. They have gone six league games without a victory since then.
Is John Eustace under pressure at Derby County?
Eustace remains in charge at Derby, but with the club sitting 23rd and winless in six league games, pressure is mounting on him to turn results around quickly.