OK, back down to 16th as Crystal Palace managed to beat Preston; we were 15th because we played at 1 p.m. before the rest of the pack. Still, that leaves us "only" 11 points behind Preston, the last play-off position, 'tho we are also "only" 8 points ahead of the Saints into whom we'll be Marching on Tuesday.I watched Man U's demolition job on Fulham 4-0 in the FA Cup, and felt that we did better in the previous round, but we're a decade away from Man U's level... Blackburn are a good side to "benchmark" for the Rams: we need to build a side that can survive in the Premier.

Nigel, pleased? "Without a doubt it is the most pleasing three points since I have been here. It was the way we achieved it without playing great and taking the game to the opposition."

Absolutely! I was gutted when we threw away two points home to the Swans after losing to Doncaster. "I think it has evened itself out after midweek. The way the games went you might have thought we would have got three points on Wednesday. We don't particularly want to play like that, especially in front of our home supporters."

Chris Porter off with an injured hip after doing a good job as goal-grabber, Jay McEverley's out too, it's make-do-and-mend time? "Another two to add to the list. We should just about be able to scramble together a 16 to go to Southampton on Tuesday."

How have you motivated Robbie Savage? "We've just told him to do what he's been doing over the last 10 or 15 years. Bar the last 6 months."