Premier League 2 Division 1’s in-form side are next up for Derby County’s Under-23s, who will be aiming for a return to winning ways on Monday night.
Swansea City are next up at St George’s Park (kick-off: 12pm) and ahead of the meeting, dcfc.co.uk has pulled together all the information you are going to need to know ahead of kick-off…
WHAT’S THE LATEST TEAM NEWS
Derby County’s Under-23s will be without Charles Vernam, Offrande Zanzala, Emil Riis Jakobsen and Callum Guy for the rest of the season.
The four players headed out on loan last week, linking up with Grimsby Town, Accrington Stanley, VVV-Venlo and Bradford City respectively until the end of the campaign.
That opens the door for a number of the club’s Under-18s players to make the step up to Darren Wassall’s squad.
Mason Bennett is amongst the first team players that could feature at St George’s Park.
Kyle McAllister continues to be ruled out of action.
SETTING THE SCENE
Derby’s Under-23s will be looking to end a run of four games without a win when they take on in-form Swansea City on Monday night.
The Rams have drawn two and lost two of those meetings – their first back-to-back defeats since September.
Wassall’s side, however, still remain well-placed in seventh just past the halfway stage of the season.
In contrast, Monday’s opponents arrive in Staffordshire as Premier League 2 Division 1’s form side.
Swansea have won four league games in a row – which includes a win over leaders Liverpool last time out – and their run of results have seen them climb up to fifth in the table.
Ahead of Monday’s game, all the talk has been about who will line-up for Derby’s Under-23s.
The Rams have seen five of their regular starters head out on loan over the last two weeks and Pat Lyons says the challenge now is for remaining players to make a name for themselves and make the most of the opportunity that lies ahead of them.
“It’s been a little bit drastic,” Lyons told RamsTV. “We had 11 players on Friday, nine the day before that, and this is something we speak about a lot, but the players have got to do it for themselves.
“It’s their careers and we have got a plan for each player – all with the aim of how we can develop a player for a career at first team level.”
He added: “It’s right for all of those players to head out on loan and play some first team football. What this does do is give some of those Under-18s a chance to make their mark with the Under-23s.
“That’s the nature of the Academy. We want to keep seeing who can keep pushing on and who can keep improving to try and get in our first team – if not here, then somewhere else.”
Read Pat Lyons’ and Luke Thomas’ full pre-match interviews now on dcfc.co.uk.
HOW CAN I ATTEND?
As was the case last season, supporters will be able to watch Derby County’s Under-23s for FREE at St George’s Park on Monday evening.
No tickets for admission is needed ahead of the fixture at Burton-upon-Trent base, whilst car parking spaces are available on a first come first served basis.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?
SWANSEA CITY U23s 5-2 DERBY COUTY U23s
Monday 11th September, 2017
Derby County’s Under-23 suffered a harsh 5-2 defeat to a strong-looking Swansea City when these two sides last met back in September.
Wilfried Bony opened the scoring, before Ollie McBurnie and then Luciano Narsingh added further goals for the Swans before the half-time interval.
Luke Thomas halved the deficit before the break too and after Joe Bateman had deservedly cut the scoreline to 3-2, it looked as though Wassall’s side had set up a grandstand finish.
Kristoffer Nordfeldt denied Thomas and then Alex Babos hit the crossbar, but with the Rams pushing for an equaliser, Swansea struck two late goals – through McBurnie and then Kenji Gorre – to add salt to their wounds and confirm the win.
Swansea City U23s: Nordfeldt, Bony (Gorre, 64), Paljk (Lewis, 35), Reid, Harries, Rodon (C), King, Fulton, McBurnie, Byers (Maric, 89), Narsingh
Substitutes not used: Zabret, Baker-Richardson
Derby County U23s: Barnes, Stabana, Karic (Walker, 77), Macdonald, Wassall (C), Cover, Thomas, Bateman, Zanzala (Mitchell-Lawson, 81), Jakobsen, Babos
Substitutions not used: Ravas, Bogle, Knight
HOW CAN I FOLLOW THE ACTION?
