Derby County's search for a first league win of the season will continue when they meet Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Wednesday.

The Rams went ahead in their opening two games against Huddersfield Town and Peterborough United but have only registered one point.

An opening day 1-1 draw against the Terriers was followed by a 2-1 defeat to Posh. Wayne Rooney's men went 1-0 up in the 77th minute through substitute Jack Stretton, before Peterborough's substitutes Harrison Burrows and Siriki Dembele scored in stoppage-time to turn the game around.

Another blow for Derby was the injury striker Colin Kazim-Richards sustained. The 34-year-old left the pitch on a stretcher, resulting in 11 minutes of added time and Dembele netting a 100th-minute winner.

The Athletic have said that Kazim-Richards faces up to 12 weeks out with a torn Achilles. Ex-Reading forward Sam Baldock, who was on trial with the Rams during pre-season, has joined on a six-month deal to replace him.

Hull marked their return to the Championship in style by winning 4-1 at Preston North End on the opening weekend. But that was followed by an EFL Cup exit at the hands of League One Wigan Athletic and a 3-0 loss at home to Queens Park Rangers.

Grant McCann's side only suffered five home defeats last season as they won League One and will look to put things right against a depleted Derby.

  • Team news

The Tigers will be without Mallik Wilks (calf) and George Honeyman (ankle), while Ryan Longman (groin) could return. 

George Moncur misses out through suspension following his red card against QPR.

Ex-Derby midfielder Tom Huddlestone re-joined Hull on Tuesday and could make the squad. His last competitive appearance was for the Rams against the Tigers in January 2020. 

Stretton is likely to start for Derby in place of the injured Kazim-Richards, while new signing Baldock is unlikely to feature. 

Rooney also brought in experienced defender Phil Jagielka on a six-month deal on Tuesday, but the 39-year-old is also set to miss out.

Lee Buchanan will return to the squad following a thigh injury, while fellow defender Kornell McDonald (hamstring) remains out.

Long-term absentees Jason Knight (ankle) and Krystian Bielik (knee) remain sidelined. 

  • Predicted lineups

Hull City

Ingram; Coyle, Jones, Greaves, Elder; Smith, Smallwood, Docherty; Williams, Magennis, Lewis-Potter.

Derby County

Roos; Byrne, Stearman, Davies, Forsyth; Bird, Shinnie; Sibley, Morrison, Lawrence; Stretton.

  • Ones to watch

Keane Lewis-Potter - Hull

Lewis-Potter was brilliant in League One last season as he scored 13 goals and provided five assists. He has started this campaign in the same vein, scoring and assisting in the win at Preston and netting in the cup game against Wigan.

Jack Stretton - Derby

Stretton is the Rams' one to watch. The Scotland under-19 international joined National League side Stockport County on a one-month loan last season and scored three goals in five appearances. He opened his account for Derby with the goal against Peterborough, and Wednesday would be his first league start. 

  • Previous meetings

The last meeting between the sides saw Derby win 1-0 at Pride Park with a goal from Matt Clarke.

Hull beat the Rams 2-0 at home that season thanks to a Jarrod Bowen brace.

Derby edge the overall record in this fixture with 25 wins to the Tigers' 23, while they've drawn 17 times.

Most recent meeting:

  • How to watch

The match kicks off at 19:45 BST and is available to watch via Hull's iFollow or on Rams TV, with passes costing £10. 

  • What the managers have said

Grant McCann via Hull Live:

“It’s another game for us, obviously we want to bounce back and try to respond from the disappointment of defeat (against QPR),” McCann said.

“I must say, I felt our fans were outstanding, it felt great to have them back supporting us.

“Hopefully they can see over the last two games what a good group of players they’ve got here and they continue to come.

“It’s another opportunity to get three points, and hopefully we can go into it and be competitive and try to do that.”

Wayne Rooney via dcfc.co.uk

“It will be another tough game," Rooney said.

“Hull are a team that can be direct at times as well as trying to play, so they can mix it up.

“We will have to be at our best to beat them.”

“Two individual errors cost us the game on Saturday,” he added. “It is tough because in some ways there’s not much you can do on that.

“If there’s one thing we can do better, it’s our game management to see matches out.

“It was a game we should have won on Saturday, so we need to get back out there at Hull and try to get a positive result.”

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