Derby County vs Stoke City preview: How to watch, kick-off time, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch

Wayne Rooney will be looking to lift his Derby County side out of the bottom three with a first home win of the season on Saturday.

The Rams are just a point from safety and are currently unbeaten in four games after picking up four points at Millwall and Brentford in their last two.

Michael O’Neill’s Stoke City make the short trip across the A50 after slipping out of the play-off places following a 2-1 home defeat to Cardiff City on Tuesday.

The Potters are in the middle of an injury crisis, which has seen multiple key players pick up injuries during the busy fixture period in the Championship.

Team news

Defender Curtis Davies will not feature for the hosts after picking up an injury at Brentford on Wednesday, which saw him leave the pitch on a stretcher.

Graeme Shinnie is also out for The Rams due to suspension after the Scotsman picked up his fifth yellow card of the season.

However, right back Nathan Byrne returns to the side after serving his one-match suspension in midweek after accumulating five yellow cards.

Michael O’Neill will be without key forward Tyrese Campbell on Saturday after the 20-year-old picked up a knee injury against Cardiff on Tuesday.

Irishman James McClean will also be missing for The Potters after being given his fifth yellow card of the season in the defeat to Cardiff.

Both Steven Fletcher and Jordan Thompson are set to return from injury for the visitors and Harry Souttar could return from a period of self-isolation.

Predicted lineups

Derby County (4-2-3-1): Marshall; Byrne, Wisdom, Clarke, Forsyth; Bielik, Bird; Jozwiak; Knight, Lawrence; Kazim-Richards.

Stoke City (4-2-3-1): Bursik; Collins, Souttar, Chester, Fox; Cousins, Thompson; Brown, Powell, Tymon; Fletcher.

Ones to watch

Krystian Bielik has been out of action since a cruciate ligament injury suffered in January but has returned to the side just as The Rams’ fortunes seem to be turning.

The Pole has featured in front of Derby’s back four in their last three games which has seen them concede just the one goal in that time.

Nick Powell has been a threat in a Stoke shirt ever since Michael O’Neill took charge last November, with all his goal contributions coming since then.

The 26-year-old has registered four goals and one assist so far this season and is also the Championship’s most fouled player, having been fouled 46 times.

Previous meetings

Derby were resounding 4-0 winners the last time these two sides met at Pride Park in January, with a Wayne Rooney free kick being the pick of the goals.

Stoke have not won at Derby since January 2012 in an FA Cup fourth round tie back when The Potters were a Premier League side.