Derby County: Paul Warne update could be bad news for Nat Phillips | OneFootball

Eiran Cashin has been out of action since mid-December with a hamstring injury, but is nearing a return.

Derby County are set to be boosted by the return of Eiran Cashin to the matchday squad in the coming weeks, after the centre-back was ruled out of action due to a hamstring injury that he picked up in his side's 4-0 win over Portsmouth in December.

It's been a tough month for the Rams since the 23-year-old suffered the blow, and they have won just one of their five league games without him in the team. However, Paul Warne has provided an update that will get supporters excited.

Ahead of their trip to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup on Saturday, BBC Radio Derby's Dominic Dietrich confirmed that Cashin is set to return to training on Monday, alongside Ryan Nyambe, who has been forced to watch on from the sidelines since October due to a knee injury.

However, this update will force Warne into a decision over his team selection, and Derby's Liverpool loanee centre-back, Nat Phillips, will be more than aware of what it could mean for his involvement in the starting XI.

Phillips may have to fight for his position in the team once again

The Rams have struggled with injuries over the course of the last couple of months, and Cashin's came at potentially the worst possible time for Warne ahead of the festive period.

However, Phillips has come into the team and played excellently, and despite some poor results, he has come out of the situation extremely well.

The 28-year-old had found it difficult to force himself into the team since he joined the club from Liverpool on loan for the season, but this recent run of games has shown just how much ability he has, and Cashin's loss has not been felt as heavily as first thought.

But, it must be said that the academy graduate is still Derby's best option in the position, and therefore, Phillips will have to prove to Warne even further that he is the right man for the job right now.

The former Celtic man's performances will allow Cashin more time to come back to full fitness and sharpness before he is put back into the starting XI straight away, however, he will want to keep him out of the team for as long as possible.

Warne could revert back to a three-player defence

Over the course of his tenure at Derby, Warne has switched between a 3-5-2 formation and a 4-3-3. With Sonny Bradley now on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, and Cashin out injured, his ability to use the former has been limited.

But, with the Rams' number six returning to the team, it would not be a surprise to see the East Midlands outfit revert back to a three-player defensive unit.

Shoring up the back line is something that needs to be done, as Derby have been leaky recently, and Cashin, Nelson and Phillips will create a solid back line for them.

It is something that has worked on a few occasions already this season, with the Rams picking up their first and only away win of the season against Coventry City while using this system, as well as an excellent 0-0 draw at Turf Moor against Burnley.

Nevertheless, the update surrounding Cashin will be a huge boost for the whole club as they look to put a poor few months behind them and begin to push up the league table.