Richie Barker impressed to see Derby finish a hectic week with a win

Posted Sunday, November 13, 2022 by PA

Derby assistant manager Richie Barker praised his players for performing so well in their 3-1 win at MK Dons after such a quick turnaround from their Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool.

The Rams are up to sixth in Sky Bet League One after coming from behind at Stadium MK, where their exertions in a penalty shoot-out loss at Anfield three days ago appeared to be catching up with them.

However, Paul Warne’s side responded in clinical fashion to earn the three points and finish what has been a full-on week in three different competitions on a high.

Barker, who had two years as assistant at MK Dons, said: “The most important thing is the three points, three goals, the character of coming back from a goal behind, set-piece goals and defending set-pieces really well.

“But I think probably the most important thing is an unbelievable effort from a group of players that on Wednesday night went 90 minutes with a group of players, of which some have played in a Champions League final.

“We got a day’s less rest (than MK Dons), so we could have easily used that as an excuse.

“We could have quite easily used the whole ‘oh, it was a really tough game at Liverpool’, but they didn’t and I thought the equaliser was a real catalyst to get us back into the game.

“As a group, we only had yesterday to work on today, just as we only had Tuesday to work on the Liverpool game, so they are getting better at taking information on board.”

MK Dons led after 41 minutes through Louie Barry’s breakaway goal, but Derby were level within two minutes when Haydon Roberts wriggled free to head in Conor Hourihane’s corner.

James Collins put the Rams ahead eight minutes into the second half, hooking in after Craig Forsyth headed on Hourihane’s free-kick, before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s neat finish settled the game.

Dons boss Liam Manning said: “The frustrating thing is obviously the result, but there are so many positives we have to take from it.

“In the position we’re in, if we just focus on the negatives it could roll on and the big thing, of course, is to take away the things where we weren’t good enough.

“On the whole, that was ultimately defending set-pieces, but we have to take the positives because they are the bits that we have to transfer into future games.

“We have big games coming up that we need to transfer performances like that and if we go out and create the chances that we did and control other elements of the game, I’m sure we’ll win matches.

“I think we’ve got our identity, which I think we lacked at times before.”