Manager Frank Lampard has been given an injury boost ahead of Wednesday evening's Emirates FA Cup Third Round replay against Southampton.
Harry Wilson, who has been missing for the Rams since limping out of the New Year’s Day fixture against Middlesbrough, is expected to return to the squad for Wednesday’s game against the Premier League side.
The attacking midfielder, who is the Rams' joint top goalscorer with 10 goals this season, alongside Jack Marriott, picked up a hip injury in the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough two weeks ago.
“Harry is in competition to be playing,” Lampard told RamsTV.
“We will manage Harry to make sure it is right for him because he is so important for us, we know that, and make sure he is 100 percent.
“He has trained fully with us the last two days and it is more a decision on him and making sure Harry’s wellness is good and whether he is ready to start the game.”
The on-loan Liverpool player missed the original Third Round tie against Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side nine days ago as the sides played out a 2-2 draw.
Forward Nathan Redmond fired the Saints two goals ahead before the Rams came storming back in the second half.
Quickfire goals from Jack Marriott and Tom Lawrence got the Rams level just after the hour mark, and it was Derby who could have won it in the last minute.
Marriott had a clear sight of goal but he fired over, which meant a replay is needed to decide the tie and who will head to Sky Bet League 1 side Accrington Stanley in Round Four.
The manager made a handful of changes for the first meeting with the Saints and he could be tempted to do the same on Wednesday night.
“The good thing is that when we drew, all the talk afterwards was that there wasn’t much between the teams,” Lampard said.
“When you are playing a busy schedule you have to make changes.
“We have a squad here that we want to use. They could make changes again, it comes down to the fact that we do believe in ourselves and we do believe that when we are at our best we can compete.
“We have shown it with Manchester United and Chelsea this year in the Carabao Cup, with Premier League teams who are at the top. We must focus on ourselves first.”
