Derby County head into their final match of the season with a chance to snatch a play-off spot—and manager John Eustace says his team is treating it just like last year's dramatic survival fight.

Twelve months ago, the Rams needed a last-day escape to avoid relegation from the Championship. Now, they're in the hunt for a top-six finish and a shot at Premier League promotion. "It's the same mentality," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby. "What we did last year was like a small miracle—losing my first three games, seven points off safety with 11 to go—but fight, togetherness, and spirit got us through. That's been the same all season."

Eighth-placed Derby must beat Sheffield United at Pride Park on Saturday and hope both Wrexham and Hull City above them drop points to leap into the play-off spots. It's a long shot, but for a team that's spent most of the season defying expectations, the pressure feels strangely familiar.

"We've been written off for a large part of this season already, so it makes no difference to us," Eustace said. "We'll concentrate on ourselves."

The Rams kept their hopes alive with a thrilling comeback win at Queens Park Rangers last week, sealed by an 88th-minute goal from Jaydon Banel. That victory ensured Derby's play-off dream would reach the final day—a fitting reward for a team that has rarely sat in the top six but has consistently stayed in contention.

Derby were briefly sixth in February but haven't been there in the 13 games since. Still, Eustace insists his side isn't feeling the weight of expectation. "Derby County's motto is that we fight to the end, and we have certainly done that," he said.

For Rams fans, the parallels to last season's remarkable survival run are hard to ignore. Whether the ending is the same or not, the spirit that defines this squad is unmistakable—and that's the kind of fight any team would be proud to wear on their sleeve.