Derby County boast a strong home record when it comes to facing Wolverhampton Wanderers at Pride Park Stadium.
The Rams have won their last three home meetings against Wolves and have scored 12 goals in the process to record 5-0, 4-2 and 3-1 victories over this Saturday’s opponents.
Chris Martin has played a prominent role in those meetings too – particularly in the 4-2 win during the 2015/16 campaign, in which he bagged a brace.
The 28-year-old Scotland international, though, feels this meeting will be different, stating that this time, after a high-profile summer in the transfer market, Wolves head to Pride Park as an ‘unknown quantity’.
Martin told RamsTV: “I have scored a couple in recent years (against Wolves), but I don’t want to get too carried away.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game. They have had a good start by beating one of the favourites for the title in Middlesbrough (1-0 on the opening weekend of the season).
“They have got some quality. They obviously struggled a little bit last year, but they have got some very good players and it will boil down to how well they gel.
“They are a bit of an unknown quantity this year, despite the quality that they have signed.
“It will be about how well they can adjust to playing over here in England, but I think they are going to be a real threat.
“They have spent a lot of money to sign some top-quality players from Europe, so they are going to be a tough proposition for us. It will be an interesting game actually.”
Nevertheless, Martin is looking forward to getting back playing at Pride Park Stadium after Gary Rowett’s men began their season with back-to-back away games.
The Rams earned a 1-1 draw at Sunderland last Friday to kick off the new EFL season and then travelled to take on Grimsby Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup, which was abandoned after 19 minutes due to adverse weather conditions, earlier this week.
Back on home soil for their first fixture of the 2017/18 season, though, Martin is hoping to mark his first competitive game at Pride Park in almost a year by helping Derby claim their first three points.
He added: “We have enjoyed a bit of success in recent years in the home games against Wolves.
“Hopefully, that’s something that can continue!
“It’s a chance for the fans to turn up and get right behind us like they always have done.
“I’m sure it will be a big occasion for them and it will be nice for us to get back to Pride Park and get our season underway at home. Hopefully we can mark with three points!”
