Derby boss Wayne Rooney provides Krystian Bielik injury update

Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has eased fears over a potential Krystian Bielik injury– revealing that he’s ok and the decision to take him off at halftime in the defeat to Cardiff City was tactical. 

The Poland international has struggled with injury issues since arriving at Pride Park and has missed the majority of the 2021/22 campaign so there was concern when he was replaced by Colin Kazim-Richards at the break.

Bielik looked to have taken a knock in the final few minutes of the half but, speaking to club media after the game, Rooney eased fears about his fitness and revealed that the decision to replace him was tactical.

Asked whether he was ok, the Derby boss said: “Yeah. That was purely tactical.

“I felt we needed another striker on the pitch. We had that much control of the game that I felt I had to put another striker on the pitch and try to get more players in the box to score goals.”

Uche Ikpeazu’s 85th-minute goal proved decisive at the Cardiff City Stadium last night but it was a controversial winner as the striker seemed to pull back defender Curtis Davies in order to get to the ball first.

No foul was given, though, meaning the Bluebirds came away with all three points and Derby remain eight points adrift of safety.

The Verdict

It was a very frustrating evening in the Welsh capital for Derby but the news that Bielik is not injured is a massive boost for the visitors.

Given how much time he’s spent on the sidelines since joining in a big-money deal from Arsenal and that he seemed to take a knock just before the break, there will have been real concern when he didn’t come out after the break.

Rooney has eased those fears now, however, as it seems he felt that throwing on an extra striker in the defensive