Leacock has played every game for Derby this season

Derby County defender Dean Leacock says the Rams must stay confident about having a good season despite lying just five places off the foot of the table.

Nigel Clough's men have won just one of their opening seven Championship games and have only picked up five points.

Leacock told BBC Radio Derby: "There's nothing to fear in this league.

"We have played the best team apparently - QPR - and we should have beaten them and that says a lot about what we can do."

The centre-half, who grabbed his first Rams goal in the draw with Barnsley last Saturday, admits some of their performances have simply not been good enough.

"If we're off it - like against Sheffield United [lost 1-0 at home] - it shows how bad we can be, so we need to be more consistent," the 26-year-old added.

"We held our hands up after the Sheffield United game and said we didn't do ourselves justice."

And the former Fulham youth team player hopes they can put things right when Crystal Palace visit Pride Park on Saturday.

"We owe the home fans something massive and we need the home fans," Leacock said. "They turn out in their thousands and hopefully we can put on a performance for them against Palace."

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