Manager Frank Lampard knows Saturday’s FA Cup Fourth Round clash will be a different test to the ones his Derby County side have already faced this season.
The Rams defeated Premier League side Southampton on penalties in the last round of the competition following a 2-2 draw in the Third Round replay at St Mary's Stadium last week.
However, it will be a contrasting challenge this weekend as Lampard takes his side to the Wham Stadium to face Accrington Stanley.
Stanley sit 14th in Sky Bet League 1 following their promotion last season as League 2 champions.
The Rams, who are in the thick of the Championship's promotion race, have had some exciting cup clashes this term.
They defeated Manchester United in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw, and pushed Chelsea all the way in the 3-2 reverse.
Lampard’s side were viewed as underdogs in those clashes, as they were against Southampton, but this time around the boot is on the other foot as they aim to reach the Fifth Round of the competition.
“This game is potentially tougher in different ways because of the turn around and the expectation on the game,” Lampard told RamsTV. “We have to handle the other side in this one.
“It is important to the players, the fans and us at the club that we can get on in the FA Cup. We must give full respect to Accrington because they won the league by a fair margin last year, they are now in the league below us in mid-table and they have players that can hurt us.
“It’s a difficult environment for us to go in to, we will make no bones about it. It’s not an excuse, it’s just a fact and something we will need to deal with.
“For Accrington Stanley it’s a challenge, of course they are going to want to rise to it. The players, the staff, the fans are going to want to beat us badly.
“They are going to create an atmosphere that we have seen in the FA Cup year after year. Upsets happen because of all these variables so they are things we will have to deal with.
“I have watched a lot of them this week. They beat Ipswich in the last round at their home ground and we have to respect them instantly. They are in the league below us but we know those differences don’t matter in FA Cup football.
“We will have to be on our toes. We will firstly have to get our attitudes right and then our quality right, then hopefully when we bring that quality we can get the result we want.
“I have already told the player and we have made a point of it to understand what is coming. It’s not a Championship game, it’s not at a 40,000-seater stadium with a perfect pitch like we had at Southampton.
“Those are the realities so let’s get those potential excuses out of the system early. We know what’s coming and it will be on us.”
It has been a busy schedule for the Rams recently and, including 120 minutes of football against Southampton last Wednesday, there is a risk of fatigue.
With that in mind, the manager has hinted at changes but insists his squad will maintain the same quality.
“There could be changes to the starting line-up, but that’s week in week out,” he commented.
“I have nice options in areas that I can change. Some areas I can’t change. I have confidence in the players in the squad, confidence that if I do make changes that the standard remains the same.”
The Rams will be backed by 2,691 supporters on Saturday after all tickets sold out on Wednesday.
“Our away support is incredible and we have had that all season,” Lampard said.
“It inspires us as a team when we hear them and they support us to drive us on. The fans that are travelling an hour, two hours up there, we appreciate it and we must show them that with the performance.”
