Wayne Rooney makes key Derby County claim after Preston North End victory

Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has claimed his side wanted the win more than their opponents Preston North End yesterday afternoon, delivering this scathing verdict on the visitors to the Rams’ media team after the match.

It looked set to be another frustrating afternoon for the East Midlands outfit and one not too dissimilar to their draw against Coventry City before the international break – but they were able to make the breakthrough this time with Ravel Morrison’s finish in the 80th minute separating the two sides.

This is a huge boost in their survival hopes with Reading drawing at fellow relegation rivals Barnsley yesterday afternoon, enabling Derby to reduce their deficit to safety to just six points.

They still have six games left to pull off what would be a miraculous recovery after suffering two separate sanctions totally up to a 21-point deduction earlier in the campaign, thriving when many outsiders had written them off.

And with something to play for, it was perhaps beneficial that they were playing a Preston North End outfit who aren’t, considering they won’t be competing for promotion or battling relegation between now and the end of the season.

Rooney believed this was a key factor in their victory as they managed to secure a crucial three points.

Speaking after the game, the 36-year-old said: “Max Bird got his red card and you always get a bit worried because the game momentum could swing into the opposition’s favour at that moment, but as soon as we went to ten men I was delighted with the reaction of the lads on the pitch.

“The energy, commitment, willingness and effort to try and go and win the game was there and I felt we wanted to win it more, which we have to be given the position we are in, and we