The curtain comes down on 2007/08 with the visit of Reading to Pride Park Stadium in a game that will have a huge bearing on the relegation battle.

Reading, after an excellent debut season in the Premier League last time around, have found themselves dragged into the bottom three at the worst possible time.

The Royals are without a goal since Andre Bikey's double against Birmingham City on March 22 and sit third from bottom.

Their tally of 33 points is one more than Birmingham, a place below them, and the same as that of Fulham - who occupy the only safe spot.

But a goal difference -29 is infinitely worse than their rivals and there will be some tense figures in the travelling contingent.

Birmingham are at home to Blackburn Rovers while Fulham travel to Portsmouth.

TEAM NEWS

Alan Stubbs, Giles Barnes and Claude Davis are the Rams' long-term absentees and won't be involved against Reading.

Defender Dean Leacock and midfielder David Jones both missed out on the defeat at Blackburn last week but Jones is fit, while Leacock needs a hernia operation and will miss out on Sunday.

Glen Little. Picture by Action Images/Ryan Browne

The visitors have a doubt over winger Glen Little, who is rated as "50/50" with a calf problem.

Czech midfielder Marek Matejovsky, meanwhile, is likely to come in to the starting line-up having been a substitute for the last three games.

THE REFEREE

Mike Riley takes charge of his 41st match of the season in the campaign-closer against Reading.

His last visit to Pride Park was at the start of March for the 0-0 draw at home to Sunderland, an afternoon that saw him caution six players.

Mike Riley. Picture by Action Images/Alex Morton

He was the referee when Reading last scored a goal in their March 22 victory over Birmingham City.

Riley's previous 40 games this season have seen him issue 136 yellow cards and a further seven reds, though four of those came in the same match.

Hull City pair Jay Jay Okocha and Caleb Folan, along with Burnley's Steven Caldwell and Joey Gudjonsson, were all dismissed within seven minutes in a fiery Coca-Cola Championship encounter.

MATCH FACTS

Sunday's game will be the first-ever top-flight meeting between the two sides at Pride Park Stadium.

This is the first season that Derby and Reading have been together in English football's top division.

Their last encounter in Derby was a New Year's Eve thriller in 2005 when Seth Johnson scored twice but Reading levelled both times to earn a draw.

Kevin Doyle levels up in the 2-2 thriller at Pride Park. Picture by EMPICS Sport

TICKETS

It's the first-ever Rams Fan Day with plenty going off at Pride Park Stadium besides the football.

Tickets for this game are now sold out.

FOLLOW THE GAME

If you can't get to Pride Park Stadium then the official Derby County website is the next best place to be.

We'll have the full line-ups at www.dcfc.co.uk, live text commentary from kick-off, a full and in-depth match report - with action pictures - on the whistle along with plenty of post-match reaction.

With RamsWorld you'll also be able to listen to live and exclusive commentary - still the only site that allows you to legally do so, and while helping the club financially at the same time.

RamsWorld will also have video previews and reaction from the men that matter, along with the best highlights package available anywhere on the internet.

Subscriptions to RamsWorld are available now from as little as £3.99 a month.

We are Derby - get your 2008/09 Derby County season ticket secured!