Transformed: Derby County Keeper Reveals The Rams Secret

Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has revealed the Rams’ secret and relief to getting their first in at Pride Park this season.

This comes after the Rams beat Norwich City 1-0 on Tuesday.

Three points, clean sheet, job done. ✅

UP THE RAMS! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ED6paPkLjm

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) October 21, 2025

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Against Poor Opposition

Derby County claimed their first home win of the Championship season with a 1-0 victory over Norwich City at Pride Park on October 21, 2025, before a bumper crowd of 25,844 fans.

David Ozoh curled in the winning goal from 12 yards in the 55th minute, assisted by Patrick Agyemang, his first goal of the campaign after joining from a season-long loan from Crystal Palace.

Norwich dominated first-half possession with 66%, as per manager Liam Manning’s philosophy, and created chances. Jacob Widell Zetterström saved multiple early efforts from Oscar Schwartau, but failed to score. Derby boss John Eustace’s half-time tweaks, including Sondre Langås’s introduction, shifted momentum in the Rams’ favour.

Substitute Ante Crnac hit the post late, but Derby held firm. Norwich slipped into the relegation zone and has put heavy pressure on Manning, who has had calls to go.

Tough Season

Derby County’s Championship season remains a testing one, with the Rams now in 19th place after 13 matches, holding 11 points. Under John Eustace, they have recorded three wins, two draws, and eight losses, netting 11 goals while shipping 19. Their recent 1-0 triumph over Norwich City on Tuesday, via David Ozoh’s strike, offered brief respite before a 1-0 defeat at Oxford United. Derby have salvaged five points from losing positions, signalling a fightback mentality, but defensive frailties persist. Upcoming games demand improvement to distance from the drop zone once again.

A Settled Number One

Zetterstrom joined Derby County in August last year on a three-year deal from Djurgården for an undisclosed fee. Previously, he made 118 appearances for Djurgården, including 17 in UEFA Conference League qualifiers and group stages, and earned one Sweden cap in a 2023 friendly against Iceland.

At Derby, Zetterström quickly became the first-choice goalkeeper, making 13 appearances in last year’s Championship season with four clean sheets, including a vital 1-0 win over Norwich City on Tuesday. Despite a facial injury last year that ended his season early, he returned for this campaign, conceding 11 goals in four games. His 6ft 6in presence and key saves have bolstered Derby’s fight for further consolidation.

Zetterstrom’s Comments

Speaking after the 1-0 win against Norwich City, Zetterstrom said:

“It was very important to get that first win at home,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for it, and the fans have been waiting for it. We are very happy with the win.”

“It’s always easy to say ‘well, we defended better in the second half,’ but I also think we were better in possession.”

“In this league, with games coming in a few days, you have to quickly refocus. Tonight, we are very happy. Tomorrow, we rest and then we go again for the next game, where there’s still plenty to work on.”

“After a decent performance on Saturday, to win on Tuesday was the most important thing. In the first half, we were under a lot of pressure, but we defended really well, and the team’s attitude was fantastic.”

“We’re building, we’re growing, and we’re stronger. We’re not the finished article, but we are a work in progress, and you can see there are some good signs of us getting better.”

Writers View 

Zetterström has solidified his status as a cornerstone for Derby County since arriving from Djurgården last year. The 27-year-old Swede has seemingly displaced Josh Vickers to claim the No. 1 spot, amassing 10 appearances in the Championship so far this season with one clean sheet and 41 saves amid a rocky start. His four-save masterclass in the 1-0 victory over Norwich City preserved a first home win in six, thwarting efforts from Josh Sargent and Oscar Schwartau.

His candid optimism after the game, speaking to RamsTV, will no doubt echo the squad’s resilience and will certainly have galvanised the Pride Park faithful, fueling hope in their battle to become Championship name stays ahead of clashes with Sheffield United and Blackburn.