Defensive Duo Return For Blackburn Rovers Clash

Derby County defensive duo Matt Clarke and Nathan Byrne have returned to the starting line-up for this evening’s Sky Bet Championship clash against Blackburn Rovers (6pm kick-off).

Clarke has missed the last two games with a groin issue, whilst Byrne returns following a blow to the head which he sustained against Reading on Easter Monday.

They are two of three changes as Manchester United loanee Teden Mengi misses out through injury, whilst Kornell McDonald, who made his first league start for the Rams against Norwich City last week, reverts to the substitutes bench.

The only other change comes further up the pitch as Louie Sibley comes in for Colin Kazim-Richards who is named on the bench.

Owing to injuries Rooney, including an injury to on-loan Everton midfielder Beni Baningime this week, has named a youthful bench which includes Academy graduates McDonald, Lee Buchanan, Jason Knight, Festy Ebosele, Jordan Brown and Connor Dixon.

Blackburn Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Johnson, Armstrong, Gallagher, Douglas, Elliott, Holtby, Harwood-Bellis, Travis, Branthwaite.

Substitutes: Pears, Downing, Rothwell, Brereton, Buckley, Bennett, Dolan, Bell, Evans.

Derby County: Marshall ©, Wisdom, Forsyth, Shinnie, Jozwiak, Bird, Lawrence, Byrne, Clarke, Sibley, Roberts.

Substitutes: Roos, Kazim-Richards, Buchanan, Dixon, Ebosele, McDonald, Knight, Watson, Brown.