Phillip Cocu wants Derby County to get their 2020/21 campaign off to a positive start this weekend.
Derby will get the new season underway with a Carabao Cup First Round tie at home to Sky Bet League 2 newcomers Barrow AFC on Saturday afternoon (12pm kick-off).
Cocu wants his side to ensure they hit the ground running at Pride Park Stadium against last season’s National League champions.
The 49-year-old has, however, made it abundantly clear that the Rams should not underestimate their opponents.
Derby’s 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship season starts with a home fixture against Reading next Saturday (3pm kick-off) and Cocu wants to go into the league opener with a cup victory behind them.
“We just focus on ourselves,” Cocu said in an interview with RamsTV. “This is the first game of the season, so we approach it like any other and try to get the win.
“We are playing at Pride Park, so that’s always a great feeling for us and we want to get off to a good start.
“The league begins next weekend and if we can get a win, then it will be good for all players for the motivation and confidence to focus on the next game against Reading.”
He added: “It definitely won’t be easy against Barrow.”
The cup clash will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides since a Third Division North fixture at the Baseball Ground, which finished in a 3-3 draw, in January 1957.