Derby County Vs Queens Park Rangers
npower Championship
Saturday 28th August, 3pm
Pride Park Stadium
DCFC Team News
Rob Hulse's achilles injury could see him miss the third game in a succession, while Chris Porter will undergo a late fitness check on the hip injury which has restricted him to substitute appearances in the last two matches. If both fail to make the game, Dean Moxey could start up front again after scoring in Derby's 2-1 reverse at Coventry last weekend as an emergancy forward. Tomasz Cywka will be involved in the squad with the aid of a protective mask on his fractured cheekbone, picked up just two weeks ago. Russell Anderson (groin), Stephen Pearson (knee), Steven Davies (cruciate ligament) and Miles Addison (foot) remain out of action.
Queens Park Rangers Team News
QPR boss Neil Warnock almost has a clean bill of health to report for the trip north to Pride Park. Winger Lee Cook remains out of action with a long-term knee injury, as does midfielder Martin Rowlands who is working his way back to full fitness after a year on the sidelines. Warnock otherwise has a full squad to call on, and he could keep the same side that defeated Scunthorpe 2-0 last Saturday. Akos Buzsaky is pushing for a start after off the bench against the Iron.
We said...
Manager Nigel Clough: "QPR are flying right now; winning three from three and conceding no goals. They've scored in the first half of every league game this season, so it is something we have to be aware of."
Watch more from Nigel Clough and the playing squad previewing the game on Rams Player.
They said....
Striker Heidar Helguson: "We have started off really well and probably better than people were perhaps hoping for. It has been good so far and the wins have been convincing really without too many scares. But we can't get complacent. All we have done is have a good start. That's all it is."
Keep An Eye On....
Moroccan attacker Adel Taarabt is arguably one of the most creative and gifted players in the Championship, and Rangers pulled off a major coup by landing him on a permanent deal this summer from Tottenham Hotspur. He has scored twice in the opening three matches and was the creator of both goals in QPR's 2-0 win over Scunthorpe last Saturday. His quick feet and eye for a pass make him one of the stand-out players in the second tier of English football.
The Man In The Middle
Mark Haywood has been placed in charge of Saturday's game at Pride Park. He has been a busy man this season, taking charge of four games already. He has produced eight yellows and is still waiting to show his first red of the campaign. He was in charge of Derby's home defeat to QPR last season.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the game are on general sale from the Ticket Office at Pride Park, with adult tickets available from £28 for adults and £11.50 for juveniles. Prices increase on a matchday, so buying in advance is advised. Purchases can be made in person from the Ticket Office, by calling 0871 472 1884 or by logging on to wearederby.com.
Last Time At Pride Park
Rangers, under Jim Magilton's leadership, stormed back from 2-0 down to defeat the Rams 4-2 in last season's meeting at Pride Park in front of the BBC cameras. Derby had led thanks to goals from Paul Dickov and Robbie Savage, but Adel Taarabt pulled a goal back before the interval. That provided the Rs with a major lift, and Gavin Mahon, Jay Simpson and Akos Buzsaky all found the net in the second half to win it for the visitors.
Fancy A Flutter
Coral are the official betting and gaming partner of dcfc.co.uk for the new season, and they are offering odds of 2/1 for Derby and claim their first home win of the 2010/11 season. A draw is priced at 9/4 and are Coral are offering odds of 11/8 for QPR to continue their fine start to the season with a fourth straight win. More odds on the game and all this weekend's matches are available at http://www.coral.co.uk/fli/derby-county.
Listen Live
The only place to listen to exclusive full match commentary of every single Derby County game online is Rams Player. Commentary for Rams Player is provided by the matchday sports team of BBC Radio Derby, ensuring you won't miss a kick throughout the season. You can sign up now at the cost of £34.99 for a year, which equals out at 10p per day. You can also view live match stats and listen to commentary from other games as part of the Rams Player experience on a matchday.
