Amidst the current doom and gloom post-derby day defeat, a chink of light may just have emerged for Ipswich Town in the form of Tyrone Mings.

The 21-year-old put in arguably his best display of the season, in Saturday’s 1-0 home reverse to Norwich City.

Mings, signed from non-league Chippenham in 2012, is still a work in progress and, ironically, could find himself sidelined for Saturday’s trip to Derby, with summer signing Jonathan Parr champing at the bit, and boss Mick McCarthy hinting at changes.

Mings may be taken out of the firing line, but that will be no slight on his development.

“Tyrone is a lovely kid and he thinks he can do better. You don’t replace a £4m left-back with someone you got from Chippenham for £10,000 and expect it to be seamless because it doesn’t happen,” said McCarthy.

“We lost a guy (Cresswell) who’d had 150-odd games with Tranmere, came here, finished his education and deservedly moved on to West Ham.

“Ty is in that first bit of his education and doing well.

“When there are opportunities on for full-backs to go then he can go (forwards). He’s exciting when he’s going forwards, but I hope he doesn’t excite me at the back too much.

“I hope he’s absolutely boring and rock-solid.”

The Blues have not lost at Derby since 2006, but are out of form and have just 16 outfield players, including the transfer-listed Frank Nouble, to choose from.

Despite that, McCarthy could make changes with Bartosz Bialkowski, Elliott Hewitt, Parr, Alex Henshall, Kevin Bru and Balint Bajner on stand-by. Conor Sammon is ineligible to play against his parent club.

One player who looks set to keep his place, however, is Paul Anderson, who can provide the much-needed creativity Town are crying out for – the winger having set up Christophe Berra’s goals in the draw at Birmingham.

“Ando didn’t have a pre-season properly last year because he was waiting for the move (from Bristol City) to go through,” said McCarthy.

“I think you get a little bit sidelined when that happens.

“He had a great pre-season with us this time and I was so disappointed when he got injured. He’s got better and better Paul. As a signing he’s been fantastic.”