[19] The absence of Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe from the starting line-up lead to rumours about their future and both players subsequently joined Premier League Sheffield United in an undisclosed deal two days later.

[31] The upcoming closure of the international transfer window on 5 October saw the club heavily linked with SV Darmstadt 98 striker Serdar Dursun and they reportedly submitted bids of £750,000 and £1m for the player,[32] though both were rejected and no deal went through,[33] though it was suggested Derby would revisit their interest in 2021.

[37] Against the back drop of these transfer links, it was Rooney's 87th-minute free kick that proved the difference in 1–0 win away to Norwich City that took the club out of the bottom three and relieved some of the pressure building on Cocu going into the first international break of the season.

[41] Following the collapse of a deal for Charlie Austin,[37] Derby were linked with a move for his West Brom teammate Kenneth Zohore and also tabled a loan bid for former loanee Harry Wilson[42] Ultimately, the club signed free agent Colin Kazim-Richards[31] and, in a move that proved controversial amongst the fanbase,[43] allowed Jack Marriott to leave for a season-long loan at Sheffield Wednesday,[44] though the club retained the right to recall the forward in January and extended his contract until the end of the 2021/22 season.

[49] On 30 October, rumours regarding a potential takeover of the club by Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who had previously been linked to Newcastle United and Liverpool, began to surface.

The first game of November saw Derby lose 1–0 at home to Queens Park Rangers to further heap pressure on Phillip Cocu - former manager Steve McClaren accused Cocu and the club of "underachieving",[51] fans referred to his claims the team did not deserve to lose as "deluded" and "a tough listen"[52] and pundits summarised he was "on the edge"[53] as Derby found themselves in the bottom two after just one win in their opening ten games, only being kept off the bottom by Sheffield Wednesday, who had had six points deducted.

With the rumoured £60m takeover by Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan approved by the EFL,[54] it was reported that Derby's players "(did) not expect the Dutchman to survive the forthcoming international break.

[57] Cocu left the club by mutual agreement on 14 November, along with assistant manager Chris van der Weerden and Specialist First Team Coach Twan Scheepers, after 16-months and 65 matches in charge.

[1] First team affairs were taken over by captain Wayne Rooney with support by members of Cocu's remaining backroom staff, Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker.

[58] The first post-Cocu result once again saw defeat, 1–0 at Bristol City, to leave Derby at the foot of the table and three points from safety, though Wayne Rooney said he could guarantee that the side would "get better (and) get out of the situation we're in and... start winning games.

The month ended with the draw for the FA Cup third round proper, which saw Derby handed a potential banana skin at National League North side Chorley.

[64] ""In order to remove any ongoing speculation, both parties want to assure Derby County's supporters that the acquisition of the club by Derventio Holdings is on track, with a view to completion before Christmas.

Derby blew another chance at a first win since October following another 1–1 home draw, this time against fellow strugglers Coventry City, to remain 5 points away from 21st placed Nottingham Forest after the completion of the 15th round of fixtures.

The run of five points from three games saw Rooney overtake Terry to become the bookmaker's favourite for the position,[70] with former-England manager Sam Allardyce (who instead replaced Slaven Bilić at West Bromwich Albion[71]) and Burnley boss Sean Dyche being newly linked to the role.

[77] Looking ahead to the January transfer window, it was also revealed that out of favour defender Mike te Wierik, who has not featured since October, had been told he was free to find another club[78] and that Jayden Mitchell-Lawson would return from his loan spell at Bristol Rovers early after a managerial change left him out of the first team.

[83] "Staff members and players were tested on Monday and have subsequently returned a number of positive results.The names of those individuals will not be made public for medical confidentiality reasons, but they and their close contacts must now serve a period of isolation at home in line with UK Government guidelines.

and at home to play-off chasing Bristol City, as Derby achieved back-to-back wins for the first time in the 2020–21 season and pulled five points clear of the relegation zone, albeit having played two more games than Rotherham in 22nd.

[104] With the reopening of the transfer window and Derby looking to strengthen, Rooney reiterated his desire to improve the club's attacking options, as well as add a centre back, during the upcoming month.

[105] The press linked Derby with moves for Tom Ince, who had had a successful spell at the club between 2015 and 2017, SV Darmstadt striker Serdar Dursun, though the player would not qualify under the new points-based system agreed by the FA, Premier League and EFL in conjunction with the Home Office following the UK's exit from the European Union,[105] Peterborough United's Siriki Dembele,[106] former Blackpool forward Armand Gnanduillet,[107] Doncaster Rovers Ben Whiteman,[108] (who eventually joined Preston North End[109]), AFC Wimbledon's Joe Piggott,[110] and free-agents Ravel Morrison[111] and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

[112] There were also links with loan deals for Leeds striker Tyler Roberts,[113] Aston Villa's Keinan Davis,[114]Cardiff City winger Josh Murphy,[115] Sheffield United's Billy Sharp.

[117] An apparent interest in Standard Liège's Montenegrin winger Aleksandar Boljević cooled when Derby, who initially believed the player was available on a free transfer, were informed he would cost £2 million.

[119] Out-of-favour defender Mike te Wierik was the first permanent outgoing as he agreed a deal to return to FC Groningen;[120] when discussing his time at Derby he said "It has not turned out what I had hoped for, it is that simple.

Ahead of the second East Midlands Derby of the season, Wayne Rooney found himself under the spotlight as national media attention centred on arguably the highest profile match of his nascent management career.

[170] Coupled with the long-term absences of Jordan Ibe, Krystian Bielik, George Edmundson and Curtis Davies[171] this left Derby short of nine of their first team squad for the visit of league leaders Norwich City and 11/2 sixth favourites for relegation.

Derby chose not to comment on the situation, though Dave Boddy, chief executive of one of the affected clubs, Coventry City, stated "It's ridiculous that the EFL's regulations on this do not replicate this approach that the government has taken, especially when they have amended other rules of theirs during the pandemic.

[200] With both automatic promotion spots (Norwich, Watford) and playoff places (Barnsley, Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea) decided before the last round of fixtures, the media focused on the relegation battle at the foot of the Championship, which was dubbed "survival Saturday".

[210] The Rams lost their second court case in 24-hours when it was announced that former-captain Richard Keogh, who had been sacked in 2019 following his involvement in a highly publicised drink-driving incident, had won a settlement against the club and would be paid £2.4m in wages owed to him as he was found to have not committed "gross misconduct".

[212] With the Erik Alonso takeover going into a second month, numerous reports suggested that his "right hand man" Tajinder Sumal had quit No Limits Sports Ltd.[213] Alonso deleted his Twitter account after being accused of reposting a property seen on TikTok to suggest it was his own house and being unable to provide proof of funds to the EFL, with many now seeing the takeover as being unlikely to proceed,[214] with an unnamed American consortium the new favourites to assume ownership of the club,[215] with more than one party interested in buying the club.

[221] The inclusion of Marriott, who it had been announced had signed a contract extension earlier in the season, was explained by the fact that the deal had had approval withdrawn by the EFL due to the ongoing appeal over amortisation.

Derby were handed a potential banana-skin tie, as they were drawn away to Chorley of the National League North (sixth tier), the lowest ranked side they had played in club history.