Derby County showed plenty of grit and determination in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at the weekend, but there are yet more concerns for manager John Eustace to contend with.

Bobby Clark put the Rams ahead at Bramall Lane, and for a while it looked as though Derby would claim a big three points. However, Patrick Bamford’s equaliser and Dion Sanderson’s second yellow card ensured a nervy finish for Eustace, who will have been pleased to cling to the point afterwards.

Derby’s next match is away at Millwall, and Sanderson’s suspension will undoubtedly give the Rams’ manager another headache ahead of the trip to face the Lions in the capital.

Suspension rules confirmed for Dion Sanderson

Under standard Football Association and EFL disciplinary regulations, receiving two cautions in the same match automatically results in a one-match suspension applied to the player immediately.

Had Sanderson been shown a straight red card for serious foul play or violent conduct, he would have missed three matches, but as it goes, he will only miss the game against Millwall and will bolster Eustace’s squad for the next fixture at home to Norwich City.

Fitness check: Who do Derby have available defensively?

Eustace must have had his head in his hands when referee Steve Martin showed a second yellow card to Sanderson at the weekend, with Derby struggling for defensive options as it is.

The options are few and far between at the back, and a closer look at the possibilities don’t exactly make for an overly positive reading from Derby’s point of view.

Jack Robinson made his Rams debut at the weekend, and he looks like the most obvious option to come in and replace Sanderson at Millwall next weekend.

Ryan Nyambe partnered Sanderson at the heart of the back four on Saturday, and he’s primarily a full-back, with Sondre Langas and Eiren Cashin both out injured at the moment.

Other injuries from a defensive point of view include Craig Forsyth, Derry Murkin, Matt Clarke and Charlie Taylor, with Sanderson’s suspension leaving things pretty perilous for the trip to Millwall.

Sanderson unlucky at Bramall Lane

Sanderson’s red card does raise some questions about the team and their defensive composure when opposition teams place them under pressure.

• First yellow card: Goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has to take a look at himself here, with his loose pass putting Sanderson in a tricky situation, and ultimately he found himself taking one for the team.
• Second yellow card: No complains here. Sanderson’s rash challenge looked pretty needless on a yellow card, with Ben Brereton Diaz milking thinks for all he could to get his former teammate sent off.

This doesn’t really highlight a lack of discipline from Sanderson’s point of view. Ultimately, he did what he felt was right in tight situations, and on another day he might have got away with another warning for the tackle, which he was shown a second yellow for.

That said, Sanderson will be completely aware of just how short the squad is of defensive, and perhaps he needed to show a little bit more maturity to remain on the pitch here.

How Eustace could reorganise against Millwall

This is a bit of a conundrum and rather him than us! This is why he’s paid the money to be Derby County boss, and we merely speculate over what he might choose to do.

As a sound coach, however, Eustace will have some options when the team heads to Millwall, and he will undoubtedly have some cards up his sleeve.

• Drafting midfield reinforcements: Lewis Travis was on the bench on Saturday, and perhaps the midfielder could drop deeper in a needs-must situation. David Ozoh could perhaps perform a similar role, but putting him further back would rob the team of his flair and ability to put the opposition defence under pressure.
• Youth promotion: Derby have a category one academy, and perhaps the time has come for Eustace to dip into that pool of players and call one or two up for the trip to Millwall. It’s not really clear if any of the current crop of 21s are capable of stepping up, and the manager will want to make sure he doesn’t hamper their development.
• The most likely option: Robinson came off the bench at the weekend, and as a left-footed option, he will almost certainly start the game against Millwall. However, he’s not done any pre-season this summer, so caution will be required when it comes to getting him up to speed.

Ultimately, Sanderson’s dismissal has turned what should be a solid away point into a bit of a conundrum for Eustace ahead of Derby’s next test in the Championship.

How well Eustace chooses to reshuffle his pack for the trip to the New Den will decide whether or not the Rams can get back to winning ways in their next match.

Only time will tell whether they can build on a newfound resilience showcased in South Yorkshire or whether further setbacks are down the track before the Rams can truly kick on this season.