Nigel Pearson has been suspended as manager of Derby County and will be sacked this week after falling out with owner Mel Morris, The Independent understands.

The Rams have had a torrid start to the season and are in 22nd position in the Championship after only managing one win in their nine games so far this season.

Derby face fellow strugglers Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium tonight but Pearson was sent home from the Welsh capital prior to kick off after learning of his suspension by the club.

Assistant manager Chris Powell will take charge of the game against Cardiff with Pearson not carrying out his duties at the request of the club.

A club statement read: "Derby County can confirm that manager Nigel Pearson will not be carrying out his duties at tonight’s game at the request of the club.

"Assistant manager Chris Powell will take charge of the team for this evening’s Sky Bet Championship match at Cardiff City.

"The club will make no further comment at this time."

Fans had grown restless and had very little to cheer at the iPro Stadium after Derby only managed to score their first home goal of the season on Saturday, during the 2-1 defeat to then bottom of the table Blackburn Rovers.

Derby only scored their first home goal of the season on Saturday (Getty Images)

After that defeat, Pearson was critical of his players and said they were “paralysed by fear” and threatened to axe some of his star players and replace them with members of the youth team.

“I can't keep hoping that players are going to bring their best games to the table week in week out, and then not do it, so I might have to start making changes,” the former Leicester City manager said after Saturday’s defeat.

"If that means introducing some of the younger players then so be it, but ultimately it's about getting a team on the field that want to play for us, want to show the levels of commitment and are prepared to go whatever distance it takes to get the result.

"We have a group which undoubtedly at the moment are not living up to the expectations externally, certainly not living up to the expectations internally and that's my responsibility because I'm the manager.”