Derby County will make their shortest Sky Bet Championship trip of the season on Saturday when they head to East Midlands neighbours Nottingham Forest.

dcfc.co.uk has gathered all the information you need to know ahead of the game (12:30pm kick-off).

LIVE STREAM…

Derby County supporters are advised that the game is NOT available to watch on RamsTV in the UK & Ireland.


The match is ONLY available for those based in Dark Markets overseas after being selected for live coverage by Sky Sports.

Full details relating to RamsTV can be found here.

TICKET NEWS…


Tickets for the game have SOLD OUT and supporters without a ticket are advised NOT to travel across Brian Clough Way as they will be unable to gain entry to the stadium.

Derby were allocated 2,000 tickets for the game and these have now all been snapped up by Membership Holders and Season Ticket Holders.

WATCH THE GAME AT THE YARD...


Derby supporters without a ticket for the game against Forest are welcome to watch the game at The Yard at Pride Park Stadium.

The Yard will be open from 11am until 5pm on the day of the game and no pre-booking is required for those wishing to attend.

A pay bar will be available, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available, while pies will be on sale as a food option.

PLAN B PROTOCOLS & COVID-19 CERTIFICATION...

Nottingham Forest have issued guidance for supporters to access the City Ground under the new measures recently introduced by the UK Government to minimise the risk of further transmission of COVID-19.


Full details from Nottingham Forest relating to COVID Passes can be found by Clicking Here.

TEAM NEWS…

Defender Lee Buchanan could return to the matchday squad after getting an hour under his belt for the Under-23s against Leeds United on Monday night after recovering from a knee injury sustained in November.


Polish international midfielder Krystian Bielik, who suffered an ACL knee injury in January 2021, is making good progress in his rehabilitation work. He is now taking part in training with the squad and is edging towards a return to the squad after it was confirmed he would feature for the Under-23s against Arsenal on Friday evening.

MANAGER'S THOUGHTS…


Manager Wayne Rooney offered his pre-match views to RamsTV ahead of the meeting with the Reds and he said: “You just have play your normal game.

“It’s a local derby game, of course, and we know there is a chance of red cards in these types of occasions so we have to play our game and keep performing like we have been.

“We have been in a good run of form, we are confident and if we play the way we have been then we have a great chance of winning.

“I said to the lads today: what is the best preparation for us to go into this game and win? It just to keep playing the way we have been and enjoy it.

“These are games that you have to enjoy and when you are enjoying playing football, you play better.”


FROM THE DRESSING ROOM…



Defender Richard Stearman spoke to RamsTV in the lead-up to the fixture against the Reds.

He said: “I’ve watched a few of these fixtures from afar and it’s certainly one I want to be involved in so fingers crossed I get the nod for the weekend and I can experience it for myself.

“All derby fixtures are special in their own way and carry a bit of spice. I’m sure this one is going to be no different so it’s a game I’m certainly looking forward to being involved in and hopefully we can come out on the right side of a result.”

He added: “I think if you ask most players, they thrive on it and I’m no different. I want to be involved in the biggest games and for Derby County, this is one of, if not the biggest as they come and it’s certainly one I’m looking forward to.”


MATCH OFFICIALS…

Tim Robinson will oversee Saturday's game at the City Ground.


Robinson has overseen 21 games so far this season in all competitions, showing 90 yellow cards and three reds.

He oversaw the 1-1 draw between the local rivals at Pride Park Stadium in August, as well as the Rams' 1-1 draw at Millwall in November - where he sent off Derby defender Nathan Byrne for two bookings.

Robinson will be assisted by Nigel Lugg and Andrew Fox on the lines, whilst Keith Stroud has been appointed as the fourth official.

EFL SUBSTITUTE RULES…

The five substitutions rule has been scrapped for the 2021/22 season, the English Football League confirmed in July.


The rule allowing clubs to make five changes, as opposed to the usual three, was brought in following football's restart in June 2020 after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given that games had to be condensed into a short period of time it was thought beneficial and allowed managers to make as many as five changes in three intervals during a match.

Clubs had a longer post-break between seasons this time around and so the temporary rule has been changed.

Teams will be able to name seven substitutes but only use a maximum of three.

STREAMING INFORMATION…

With COVID-19 capacity restrictions lifted and EFL fixtures being played in front of full crowds once again, the temporary change in streaming rules is no longer valid.


If you can't make the game in person, other options to catch up with the action on the pitch – including live TV, live radio, streaming of selected matches alongside highlights on TV and online of every Sky Bet EFL game.

LIVE TV (DOMESTIC)

In the UK, Sky Sports will show 138 Sky Bet EFL matches, 15 Carabao Cup ties and the Semi Finals and Final of the Papa John’s Trophy.

In the case of Weekend Fixtures, the EFL’s designated kick-off times* for Sky Live Matches are usually scheduled as follows:

* Friday evenings at 7:45pm or 8pm

* Saturdays at 12:30pm; Sundays at 12-noon

Within the Sky contract there are other kick-off times that are available to the broadcaster

In the case of scheduled Midweek Matches, live Sky fixtures will be between 7:30pm and 8pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

RADIO

TalkSPORT offer exclusive live commentaries on national radio across the Sky Bet EFL as well as non-exclusive rights to the Carabao Cup that are shared by the BBC.Both TalkSPORT and the BBC have the ability to broadcast score flash updates across all competitions.BBC Local Radio also have individual commentary deals with selected EFL clubs.

LIVE TV (INTERNATIONAL)

Any match shown live on Sky Sports in the UK is made available overseas via the League’s international broadcast partners.As well as this fixture, a minimum of 36 Championship fixtures taking place on Saturdays at 3pm, will be distributed for international coverage, alongside selected League One and Two fixtures, Carabao Cup ties, and action from across the Sky Bet Play-Offs.

A full list of the EFL’s international broadcast partners are available here:efl.com/iFollow/international-broadcasters/

HIGHLIGHTS

In the UK, Quest will continue to be the home for all highlights of matches in the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup and Papa John’s Trophy, with action from a full weekend schedule of matches broadcast at 9pm on Saturdays, and midweek League highlights and Carabao Cup midweek highlights also screened on applicable weeknights. Internationally, a number of the EFL’s broadcast partners show repeat transmissions and highlights.

STREAMING

In respect of domestic streaming, the EFL will return to the position as was prior to the pandemic when the live broadcast or streaming of any match in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is prohibited between the hours of 2:45pm-5:15pm on Saturday afternoons.

EFL clubs will have the right to live-stream midweek matches on iFollow or Club equivalent service, with Sky Sports also able to stream the same Championship fixtures to subscribers across their Red Button interactive and digital services.

The position in each Sky Bet EFL division is as follows:

CHAMPIONSHIP - DOMESTIC

* All scheduled midweek matches (unless selected as one of Sky Sports Exclusive midweek selections)

* Displaced weekend matches – matches which are moved from Saturday 3pm kick-offs for non-TV purposes (at the discretion of the Home club)

* Bank Holiday matches over Christmas and Easter (at the discretion of the Home club)

CHAMPIONSHIP - INTERNATIONAL

Overseas supporters can watch live all EFL Championship league games provided that they have not been selected for international television broadcast in a territory that has an overseas broadcast partner