Derby County boss Paul Warne has heaped praise on opponents Cambridge United, who he feels are good and have shown real strength in defending set-pieces this season.

 

Garry Monk’s side are fighting to save their League One status at the end of the season but have not shown particularly good form of late, losing two of their last three games.

 

Their last match resulted in a narrow 1-0 defeat against Bristol Rovers where Warne insists that the guests were really competitive against a very good team.

 

 

Warne also took time to highlight Cambridge’s record in defending set-pieces, insisting that Monk’s team are going to be a tough nut to crack.

 

“Every professional team is good, so I am never going to sit here and go oooh, they are horrific”, Warne told RamsTV.

 

 

“But they were good, I think they are second in the league defending set-pieces after us. So they have got some real strength.

 

“They played like a fluid sort of three but on their set-pieces, they have got unbelievable deliveries and a threat.

 

 

“And I thought Bristol Rovers were really good, I didn’t see the goal, the goal was late on so I can’t tell you about the goal so please don’t ask me.

 

“But Bristol Rovers were really good, missed a penalty, but Cambridge were really competitive.

 

“You can see by the points we have dropped away from home this year, I am just trying to think of some rascals Cheltenham, people say Shrewsbury but now all of a sudden Shrewsbury look all right don’t they.”

 

However, Warne believes that the Cambridge United game is not going to be a one-off and every game Derby play is going to be equally competitive.

 

“Football isn’t like, you can’t look at it like that you only have to look at the Liverpool and Arsenal games at the weekend.

 

“Every game you play is difficult, every opposition is difficult, Cambridge’s home form is good. They are always good at home, it is a difficult place to play as is ours in a different way.”

 

Derby currently hold a three-point lead over third-placed Bolton Wanderers and are close to sealing automatic promotion at the end of the season.