"Games come down to the smallest margins": Derby County boss prepares for Leyton Orient clash

Derby County find themseleves looking ahead to their next league clash in fine form.

Paul Warne's side will be trying to extend their win streak to five league games in a row as they face Leyton Orient on Saturday.

The Rams make the trip sitting in sixth place and sox points away from the automatic promotion places.

Derby boss Paul Warne is keen for his side to carry on their good run of games but he knows it won't be an easy task.

Speaking to Rams TV ahead of the game, Warne said: "As always, games come down to the smallest margins so we will need to be very good and diligent in everything that we do.

"We need to keep playing at a tempo that other teams struggle to play against. If we do that, we will win a lot of games and it is important we perform to a high level down at Orient.

"The lads feel good about themselves and I am sure it will be really competitive game because they will certainly ask a lot of questions of us."

Warne was recently nominated for the League One manager of the month award after the Rams' perfect November.

He says it's a reflection on his players: "It is a nice reminder of the progress we are making.

"It is always about the team and the players, always. If the players perform, everyone looks good. If the players don’t perform, everyone doesn’t look so good. It is recognition for the players more than anything.

The Derby boss was eager to praise in form winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, he said: "I am surprised Nat wasn’t nominated for the Player of the Month award; you would do well to be ahead of his performances in the last month."

The Rams come off the back of a 3-0 win over Fleetwood Town where striker James Collins who scored twice. Collins now has 12 goals in all competitions this season making him as Derby's top scorer.

Warne was in high praise of his 33 year-old striker, he said: "He has been excellent. With every striker at every club, there is a pressure to score goals.

"The strikers are probably the ones that can bring the most to the team because their job is to put the ball in the back of the net. I regard my strikers as contributors to goals as well as being goalscorers; they must be more than that.

"Collo’s out of possession work is right up there. He tracks back to the halfway line, and he is also brave on set-pieces. He does everything he can possibly do for the team and to see him get the goals for his efforts is pleasing because you want your strikers to walk onto the pitch and feel invincible."

The Rams kick off against Leyton Orient at 3pm on Saturday 9 December and will be trying to put even more pressure on their promotion rivals.