Whittaker Makes First League Start For Derby County Against Sheffield Wednesday

Morgan Whittaker will make his first league start for Derby County this evening against Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park Stadium (7:45pm kick-off) in one of four changes from the weekend’s game against Blackburn Rovers.

England Under-19 international striker Whittaker, who has come through Derby's youth system, has made six substitute appearances for the Rams so far this season but has been handed his first league start by manager Phillip Cocu for the clash against the Owls.

Fellow Academy product Jason Knight is also named in tonight’s starting XI and will make his 11th appearance of the campaign.

Midfielder George Evans and striker Chris Martin also return to tonight’s starting line up whilst Krystian Bielik, who recently sat out the home game against Queens Park Rangers at the end of November, misses out.

Derby County: Hamer, Forsyth, Lawrence, Evans, Martin, Holmes, Davies (C), Bogle, Knight, Malone, Whittaker.

Substitutes: Roos, Wisdom, Dowell, Waghorn, Marriott, Lowe, Bird.

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Fox, Rhodes, Harris, Fletcher, Bannan, Lees (C), Reach, Odubajo, Hutchinson, Iorfa.

Substitutes: Jones, Lee, Pelupessy, Borner, Murphy, Nuhiu, Luongo.