Derby County and Reading will kick-off the 2018/19 EFL season on Friday night when the two clubs meet at the Madejski Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship.
It’s a fixture that isn’t short of narrative.
Frank Lampard, of course, is set for his first competitive game in charge of the Rams, after a pre-season that saw his side win four out of five.
The boss also has the option to select George Evans in midfield, who joined from Reading this week.
But the Royals, former Derby boss Paul Clement will be looking to re-establish his side as Championship contenders, after a disappointing 2017/18 season that started under Dutchman Jaap Stam.
So, what sort of test will Lampard and Derby face under the lights on Friday?
How Will They Line-Up?
Team vs. Crystal Palace: Mannone; Gunter (Richards, 34'), McShane, Ilori, Yiadom; Kelly, Meyler, Swift (McNulty, 63'); Aluko (Blackett, 70'), Barrow (Clement 70), Meite (Böðvarsson, 63').
Famously, Clement cut his teeth in first-team coaching under Carlo Ancelotti, who has favoured a fluid 4-3-3 system since his arrival at Chelsea in 2009.
It’s a formation that Clement implemented at Pride Park Stadium for his spell during the 2015/16 season, and it continued at Reading last term.
Joey van den Berg took on the defensive midfield role that was often performed by George Thorne during Clement’s time with the Rams, with the likes of David Edwards, John Swift or Liam Kelly as other midfield options.
The pacey duo of Sone Aluko and Mo Barrow remain at the club to offer vibrancy in attack, whilst the squad has been bolstered with some experienced heads.
Irish pair David Meyler and John O’Shea arrived on one-year deals from Hull City and Sunderland respectively, with Andy Yiadom, Marc McNulty, Darren Sidoel and Sam Walker also coming through the door.
Clement joined the club in March and his spell began in positive fashion with two wins in his first three games, but fortunes soon took a downturn.
A disappointing home draw to all-but-relegated Sunderland was followed by heavy defeats against Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town, with the latter keeping Reading in relegation danger ahead of the final day.
As it happened, a goalless draw at Cardiff kept the Royals in the second-tier for another season, but one year on from being a penalty shoot-out away from the Premier League, the campaign was a bitter disappointment.
Key Three
Chris Gunter
Above anything else, Chris Gunter has displayed superb consistency during his career, with the 29-year-old having played 50-plus games in each of the last three seasons.
The full-back hasn’t missed a Championship game since April 2016 and he is edging towards 400 appearances in the second tier of English football.
Gunter is also edging closer to another personal milestone - he is currently Wales most-capped outfield player on 88 caps - and he will provide crucial experience as Clement heads into his first full season in charge.
Liam Kelly
Kelly made his debut as a substitute in the EFL Cup in August 2016, when he came on for current Derby midfielder Evans, and he has made quite the impact since then.
The 22-year-old midfielder has made a habit of spectacular long-range strikes, and it was the Rams that were hit hard Kelly’s talents during a 3-3 draw at the Madejski Stadium in February.
Already capped at Under-21 level by the Republic of Ireland, further strong form this term will surely result in a first senior call-up for Kelly.
Mo Barrow
Another man to have an impact when Derby last travelled to Berkshire was Barrow, as he raced in behind to give his side the lead in the pulsating draw last term.
The forward struggled for end product in the Premier League with Swansea City but he had no such issues with the Royals, as he top-scored with 10 league goals as well as adding five assists.
With his pace from the left-flank, Barrow will be expected to contribute heavily once again.
He Said...
Reading signed Sam Baldock from Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this week on a three-year deal and Clement had his say after securing his new No.9…
Speaking to Reading’s official website, he said: “I’m very happy that Sam has joined us here at Reading, having pursued his signature throughout the summer.
“I always felt he was the right striker for us to bring to this club in terms of his age, his experience and his quality.
“Now, I look forward to working with Sam on the training field in preparation for Friday night’s home game against Derby County.”
