Eustace issues Meister update after head injury and responds to Birmingham loss

John Eustace says Henrik Meister "seems okay" after revealing he will undergo concussion protocols after being carried off on a stretcher in the defeat against Birmingham City.

The Danish striker went to ground with nobody near him early in the second half which required lengthy treatment before he was taken off with his neck in a brace. Eustace said he didn't see what sparked the injury, but said he had spoken to the forward who will now miss the next 10 days.

"To lose him just after half-time was tough," he said. "It was difficult, but he's OK now. He's having concussion protocols. We'll just have to see how he is. I've been speaking to him and he seems okay."

Meister's injury came after Blues had levelled before the break when Carlos Vicente cancelled out a well-worked Bobby Clark opener.

Paik Seung-Ho then headed in on the line from a corner to put Blues ahead and the visitors made two terrific blocks late on as Sam Szmodics and Carlton Morris were both stopped from a leveller.

But Derby have found it hard to keep clean sheets so far this season and Eustace said the defending against Blues was a problem.

"I am obviously disappointed to lose," he said. "I thought we were excellent in large parts of the game. We were up against a really competitive team and I thought the new lads who came in today were excellent.

"They are adapting and adjusting, to the league, but I am really disappointed in the two goals that we conceded. We need to be better. We were caught in possession and then we don't defend the far post.

"We need to be better there. And then the second goal has come from a long goal kick. It's gone straight between our two centre-backs who need to be bigger and better at defending that.

"They then obviously get a set-piece, and again, we need to be stronger."

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