Once Premier League rivals - now Derby look poised to join Portsmouth in League One after points deduction confirmation

There is, of course, a chance the six-game unbeaten Blues can turn around their league fortunes and mount a serious play-off challenge to make a return to the second tier.

But if they don’t between now and the end of the season, there’s every chance Danny Cowley’s current 10-placed outfit will be reacquainting themselves with the Rams in the third rung of the English football ladder.

Indeed, Derby’s administrators, Quantuma, have today agreed a further deduction of nine points, plus a further suspended three points, for historical financial breaches.

It takes their total penalty points to minus-21, after an initial minus-12 for sliding into administration.

And that leaves the Rams on minus-three points and marooned at the bottom of the table with relegation to League One looking inevitable.

The decision brings to an end a long-running saga of nearly two years, after Derby were initially charged in January 2020.

There is no right of appeal and the club have also agreed to the dismissal of their appeal against the 12-point deduction issued for entering administration on September 22, meaning that sanction remains.

Former Pompey administrator Trevor Birch – now the EFL’s chief executive – said: ‘The EFL’s objective throughout this ongoing process has been to ensure that the principles of the regulations were upheld on behalf of all clubs.

‘In order to assess the sporting sanction that was applicable to apply to these breaches, previous P&S cases have been carefully reviewed and guidance taken from them. The EFL has also considered the P&S sanction guidelines as well as mitigation put forward by the club.

‘Given the complex circumstances of the case and the various outstanding regulatory issues between the EFL and Derby, the league is satisfied at the agreed outcome and the sensible approach taken by both parties in negotiating this outcome and in respect of the appeal withdrawal.

‘Our focus is to continue to work with the joint administrators to assist them in securing a long-term future for the club.’

While the latest points deduction has dealt a huge blow to manager Wayne Rooney’s hopes of avoiding relegation, Derby’s future has moved a step closer to being saved.

The club are speaking to a handful of interested consortiums about a possible takeover.

‘This has been a difficult matter to navigate bearing in mind the various issues concerned,’ said Carl Jackson, a joint administrator for Quantuma.

‘While point deductions are never ideal for any club, it was critical to the club’s future that all matters were concluded between the EFL and the club in relation to historical issues.

‘This conclusion allows us to proceed with our restructuring strategy for the club with prospective interested parties.’

Derby have won just one of their last nine league games, drawing five, and will resume their Championship campaign with a home match against top-of-the-table Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Rams are now 14 points behind second-bottom Barnsley and 18 behind Peterborough, who are just outside the relegation zone.

Pompey’s last league meeting against Derby resulted in a 2-1 Championship defeat in the April of the 2011-12 season.

Their last visit to Pride Park was in October 2011 – a visit which culminated in a 3-1 defeat.

During the 2007-08 season both clubs went head to head in the Premier League – with the Blues drawing 2-2 at Pride Park on the opening day of the season.

Pompey then won the return fixture 3-1 in January 2008.

They finished that campaign in eighth place – their highest Premier League finish – while 20th-placed Derby were relegated with just 11 points.