Rosenior Names Side For Season Opener Against Oxford United

Interim Manager Liam Rosenior has named his first matchday squad as Derby County take on Oxford United at Pride Park Stadium in their first game of the Sky Bet League One season this afternoon (3pm kick off).

The Rams are back in the third tier of English football for the first time since 1986 but head into the season with optimism following the takeover by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd at the start of July.

The Rams have added experience to the squad ahead of the campaign with 11 players arriving through the door this summer.

And the new era starts at home to the U’s and Rosenior has handed seven debuts to new Derby signings.

Joe Wildsmith, Haydon Roberts, Conor Hourihane, Korey Smith, Tom Barkhuizen, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and James Collins have all been given the nod in the curtain raiser.

Last season’s Player of the Year Curtis Davies skippers the side, whilst vice-captain Max Bird, Eiran Cashin and Jason Knight also start for the Rams.

James Chester and David McGoldrick miss out with minor niggles.

Derby County: Wildsmith, Hourihane, Cashin, Barkhuizen, Bird, Collins, Mendez-Laing, Smith, Roberts, Davies (C), Knight.

Substitutes: Loach, Forsyth, Thompson, Sibley, Stearman, Stretton, Oduroh.

Oxford United: Eastwood, Long, Findlay, Moore, Bodin, Brannagan, Taylor, Browne, Henry, McGuane, Seddon.

Substitutes: Stevens, Rodriguez, Brown, Murphy, Golding, Goodrham, O’Donkor.