Rooney Makes Three Changes For Stoke City Clash

Manager Wayne Rooney has welcomed back a number of key players ahead of tonight’s Sky Bet Championship clash against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium (7:45pm kick-off).

The Rams’ boss, whose squad has been depleted in recent weeks owing to the government’s COVID-19 isolation protocols, has made three changes to the side which beat high-flying West Bromwich Albion 1-0 on Monday.

The Rams are aiming for their third win in as many games after victories over Blackpool and the Baggies either side of Christmas, whilst they have also recorded consecutive clean sheets too.

Skipper Tom Lawrence and experienced defender Phil Jagielka return to the starting line-up, as does Polish international Kamil Jozwiak.

Richard Stearman, Festy Ebosele and Sam Baldock all move to the bench, whilst Monday’s goalscorer Colin Kazim-Richards is also named amongst the substitutes once again.

Stoke have gone 19 days without playing a game after their last two fixtures were postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases.

Stoke City: Davies, Smith, Fox, Allen (C), Batth, Clucas, Vrancic, Campbell, Tymon, Wilmot, Brown.

Substitutes: Bonham, Chester, Fletcher, Doughty, Surridge, Ince, Wright-Phillips.

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

Substitutes: Roos, Baldock, Morrison, Kazim-Richards, Stearman, Ebosele, Williams.