Derby County are back in Sky Bet Championship action on home turf on Saturday afternoon when they take on Hull City at Pride Park Stadium (3pm kick-off).
Phillip Cocu’s side will be looking to maintain their impressive home form and record a third successive home victory against the Tigers.
Here, dcfc.co.uk has gathered all the information you will need ahead of the clash with the Tigers.
TEAM NEWS…
Striker Jack Marriott will once again miss out with a minor muscle injury, which forced him to sit out last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough.
The frontman could return to full training next week after making good progress in his rehabilitation work.
Midfielder Krystian Bielik will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury whilst in action for Derby’s Under-23s against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week.
Bielik was in line to return to the fold after completing a three-match ban but will now be forced to watch on from the stands after suffering the unfortunate injury in the early stages of the game on Monday.
Graeme Shinnie is back in full training after a hamstring injury but still needs time to regain sharpness, while Mason Bennett (ankle) and George Evans (calf) are still out of action and George Thorne (shoulder) is also not available.
Former Hull midfielder Tom Huddlestone is pushing to start after recently returning to action after three months out with a hamstring injury.
PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS…
Speaking to RamsTV ahead of Saturday's home fixture, manager Phillip Cocu said: “When you have good momentum, the feeling is good and there is positive energy in the team.
“It stays positive when you get good results and if you don’t get them you have to work harder.
“We worked very hard to come back from a tough run before Christmas and now we are in a positive streak.
“We have to do everything that lays in our power to keep the results on a positive side, especially in a home game.”
Cocu added: “Hull have performed quite well this season so it will be a tough game.
“Their counter-attacking is very dangerous, so we have to be aware and very focused on what we leave behind when we go forward.
“When we perform at our best we can beat any opponent, but we have to be prepared.”
More pre-match thoughts from the Derby boss in the lead-up to Saturday's clash with the Tigers can be found across dcfc.co.uk and RamsTV.
HOW TO SECURE YOUR SEAT…
Tickets are still available for Saturday's game at Pride Park Stadium.
Supporters are advised to avoid the matchday ticket price increase, which comes into play at 10am on the day of the game.
Match Tickets for Home Members start at:
* £8.00 Child (Age 2-12)
* £12.80 Youth (Age 13-17)
* £16.80 Young Adult (Age 18-21)
* £24.00 Adult (Age 22-64)
* £16.00 Senior (Age 65+)
Important! Home Membership benefits include: 20% Discount on General Public Match Ticket pricing; free ticket to a club selected match; early access to tickets prior to general public on-sale; and zero online booking fees. Click here for more information.
Match Tickets for General Public start at:
* £10.00 Child (Age 2-12)
* £16.00 Youth (Age 13-17)
* £21.00 Young Adult (Age 18-21)
* £30.00 Adult (Age 22-64)
* £20.00 Senior (Age 65+)
Tickets can be purchased without a booking fee from the Derby County Ticket Office, presented by SeatGeek, but are subject to £1 per ticket booking fee if purchased online or via phone 0871 472 1884 (calls cost 13p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge); and an additional £1 per transaction delivery fee is applicable for tickets posted. Buy your match tickets here.
And have you tried this season’s brand new matchday experience, the Captain's Club?
Offering one of the best views in the stadium from only £60 (+ VAT) including match ticket and unlimited chef’s buffet table, the Captain’s Club is a relaxed informal matchday hospitality experience in contemporary surroundings with regular visits from captains, past and present. Book the Captain’s Club here.
For more matchday hospitality options, please email hospitality@dcfc.co.uk or call 01332 821073.
Match Tickets and Matchday Hospitality subject to availability. Terms & Conditions apply.
WHO’S THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Andy Woolmer will be the man in the middle for the Rams' second home fixture of 2020.
The
match will be Woolmer's second Derby fixture of the campaign after he oversaw the Rams' 3-0 loss at Fulham towards the end of November.
He has overseen 22 matches so far this season, in all competitions, producing 58 yellows and two red cards.
Woolmer will be assisted by Shaun Hudson and Nik Barnard on the lines, whilst Akil Howson has been appointed as the fourth official.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION…
Fans based outside the UK & Ireland can watch Saturday's game LIVE on RamsTV.
RamsTV’s Matchday Live show will begin from 2:30pm with Owen Bradley and former Ram Shane Nicholson building up to kick-off with full team news, exclusive interviews, features, stats, match clips, analysis and lively discussion.
There’ll then be LIVE HD multi-camera coverage, with instant replays and full match commentary from Owen and Shane for all the action at Pride Park.
Fans based outside of the UK and Ireland will be able to stream the game as part of their RamsTV subscription or for the one-off pay-per-view price of £5, whilst a live audio stream of the game will be available for fans based inside the UK and Ireland.
Full streaming options can be found here.
As usual, all of RamsTV’s content building up to the
game, as well as all post-match reaction, will be available to watch for FREE
across Derby County’s website, official app and YouTube Channel.
PICK UP A PROGRAMME…
In the 15th edition of the 2019/20 season, The Ram sat down with Derby County goalkeeper Ben Hamer ahead of the Rams’ clash with Hull City on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
Spanning across six pages, we spoke to the shot-stopper about how he is enjoying his loan spell at Pride Park, working his way in to the starting line-up and how he became a goalkeeper.
As ever, The Ram will be jam-packed with news and features and retails at just £3 from around Pride Park Stadium.
Here’s a brief review of what else you can expect from the #DCFCvHCAFC edition of The Ram…
Exclusive Columns: Back in the Pride Park dugout, manager Phillip Cocu pens his exclusive column, whilst Match of the Day commentator Martin Fisher looks back over the festive period.
Introducing…Hull City: Want to know more about Grant McCann’s side? We have you covered with an extensive opposition guide and we take a look at a historic meeting between the clubs.
Back in the Big Time: Our season-long historical feature takes us back 50 years as we look back on Brian Clough and Peter Taylor’s first season in Division One.
Academy In Focus: We take a look at the Under-18s’ emphatic win over West Bromwich Albion and also talk to first-year scholar, Alex Matthews, on growing up in the Derby County Academy as he hopes to become part of the next crop of youngsters to make the step to the first-team.
Ewe Rams: Derby County Ladies’ are flying high in the FA Women’s National League North and we take a look over their latest victory over Burnley.
Around The League: We conclude the programme with a look at all the weekend’s action from around the Sky Bet Championship.
With all that in mind, written and designed in-house, in partnership with Ignition Sports media, The Ram, our award-winning official programme, really is the essential matchday purchase.
Alternatively, Ignition Sports Media offer a subscription service to ensure you receive every copy of your programme delivered directly to your door. Click here for further details of how you can order your copy now.