Rooney Makes Three Changes For Blackpool Clash

Manager Wayne Rooney has made three changes to the side which fell to defeat against Bristol City last weekend for this afternoon’s Sky Bet Championship clash against Blackpool at Pride Park Stadium (3pm kick-off).

Derby are without a number of players for the game as they are having to self-isolate under the strict COVID-19 protocol guidance.

Striker Luke Plange has been rewarded with his first league start following an impressive 45 minutes against the Robins last week.

The Under-23s striker, who was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month for November, has scored eight goals this campaign for Pat Lyons’ side and will make his first competitive start against the Seasiders.

Second year youth scholar Dylan Williams makes his second league start of the season and his first at Pride Park Stadium and is expected to line up on the left-hand side.

Poland international Kamil Jozwiak returns to the starting line-up as Nathan Byrne and Festy Ebosele miss out, whilst Liam Thompson is named as a substitute.

Under-18s goalkeeper Alfie Roberts has returned from his loan spell with local non-league side Matlock Town and is named as a substitute for the first time, whilst Under-23s striker Bartosz Cybulski is also named on the bench.

Derby County: Allsop, Forsyth, Shinnie, Jagielka, Jozwiak, Bird, Lawrence (C), Davies, Knight, Williams, Plange.

Substitutes: Roberts, Stearman, Sibley, Cashin, Thompson, Aghatise, Cybulski.

Blackpool: Maxwell (C), Connolly, Husband, James, Dale, Wintle, Anderson, Carey, Lavery, Ekpiteta, Sterling.

Substitutes: Grimshaw, Gabriel, Yates, Bowler, Dougall, Hamilton, Keogh.