Captain Robbie Savage faces the axe for Derby's Premier League contest against fellow strugglers Sunderland - after manager Paul Jewell labelled him 'ineffective'.

Jewell has had plenty to say in the wake of the 2-0 defeat to Wigan at the weekend, blasting the entire team for the performance at the JJB Stadium.

Former Leicester midfielder Savage, 33, only arrived at Pride Park in the first week of January.

But Jewell has not reaped the best of the £1.5million signing from Blackburn, with fitness issues appearing to prove a stumbling block.

Jewell told BBC Radio Derby: "Robbie is very low on confidence at the moment.

"He is playing with injuries that he probably shouldn't be.

"He will be an effective player for us, but like a few players at the moment he is ineffective."

Jewell, who witnessed Derby's 20th league defeat in just 27 outings last weekend, added: "His performances are going to attract criticism.

"He is almost trying too hard, and we might have to say 'let's try and get him properly fit and back to where he has been for most of his career'."

Meanwhile, another of County's January arrivals, Mile Sterjovski, is hoping for a first start and a first goal when the Wearsiders visit.

Sterjovski, who joined from Turkish team Genclerbirligi, told the club's website www.dcfc.co.ukhe was unused to scrapping at the bottom end of the table but is confident of scoring in the English top-flight.

"To be honest I haven't been in a team that has been in this situation before," said the 28-year-old Australian. "I have managed to score in every league and for every team I have played.

"Hopefully I can bring that to Derby and once I get to 100 per cent fitness, and feel more comfortable in the team, I'm sure everything will kick into place."