Derby County Under-18s will face Middlesbrough Under-18s in the highly-anticipated Premier League Cup semi-final at Rockliffe Park Training Complex.
Justin Walker’s team have impressed throughout the competition and have made it throigh to the final four along with Middlesbrough, Manchester City and Manchester United.
They have done it in some style too after having already seen off the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion. The Rams finished top of their group and have won every game in the competition in what has been a very successful campaign so far.
However, it could yet improve as they look to make it into the final against a Middlesbrough side who sit just one place below them in the Premier League North.
In fact, the last time these two sides met Derby won the game in the most dramatic of circumstances. Derby proved 3-2 winners thanks to a very late winner from Jason Knight after Jack Stretton had scored an early brace to put the side ahead.
Middlesbrough looked to have done enough to earn a point after goals at either side of half-time from Gabriel McGill and Layton Watts gave Derby a scare. However, Knight’s 87th minute winner meant that Derby would continue their wonderful league form; they currently sit fourth in the table.
In the Premier League North, Derby are unbeaten in four, but did fall desperately short in their narrow 2-1 loss in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup to Manchester City. The Rams will hope to make that game nothing more than a small blip in an otherwise successful season.
Whilst they still may have to face City in the final of the Cup, full focus will be put on Middlesbrough who in their last fixture beat Manchester United 3-0. The side have also gone three unbeaten in the Premier League- North ahead of the game.
Derby will have to put a stop to that impressive run to stand any chance of winning the silverware.
Kick-off at the Rockliffe Park Training Complex is on the 16th February at 1pm.
Words by Joseph Lightfoot