Derby County will kick off the final month of 2021 with a trip to Bristol City on Saturday.
dcfc.co.uk has gathered all the information you need to know ahead of the game (3pm kick-off).
TICKET NEWS…
Tickets went off sale online at 12pm on Wednesday 1st December, while they will also go off sale in person from the Ticket Office at 4pm on Friday 3rd December.
Bristol City have confirmed that on the day sales at Ashton Gate will NOT be available, so supporters must buy in advance.
Full ticket information for Rams supporters can be found by clicking here.
TEAM NEWS…
Defender Lee Buchanan will miss out once again after suffering a knee injury in the recent home victory over AFC Bournemouth, which is due to keep him out until January, so the experienced Craig Forsyth is set to start once again at left-back.
Striker Sam Baldock is still out with a hamstring problem and he is expected to be out of action for a few more weeks, but it is hoped he will return to the squad during mid-December.
Jack Stretton is set to miss out once again with a minor knee injury sustained
whilst in action for the Under-23s earlier last month against Reading in
the Premier League Cup, but whilst he has returned to training he needs time to build up his fitness.
Polish international midfielder Krystian Bielik, who suffered an ACL knee injury in January of this year, is making good progress in his rehabilitation work but is still not yet in a position to return to full training.
MANAGER'S THOUGHTS…
Manager Wayne Rooney offered his pre-match views to RamsTV and he said: “The lads are giving everything under very difficult circumstances.
“It’s been a difficult season for everyone, but we are competing and trying in every game but unfortunately in the last game against Queens Park Rangers it wasn’t enough.
“It probably wasn’t as bad as my initial reaction afterwards, but I just felt there were details we had to be better at which cost us as we lost 2-1, so we need to be better at that.
“It
is important to remember that we are a good team and we are hard to
play against. The main thing for us right now is not getting carried
away after each result. We will win games and we will lose games, and we
will not get carried away with where we are in the table right now
either.
“When it gets to February, March and April we
will know where we are as a club and what direction we are going in
terms of Championship or League One. All we need to do is focus on
taking each game as it comes and try and pick up as many points as
possible.”
FROM THE DRESSING ROOM…
Midfielder Graeme Shinnie spoke to RamsTV following training on Thursday at Moor Farm Training Ground ahead of the game against the Robins.
He said: “It’s a case of moving on to Bristol City now and trying to win down there. That’s our season, just a case of moving on to the next game and trying to win every one that comes along.
“The team have always had belief. We know what we are and what we have got. We have a thin squad with a lot of youngsters in it but on top of that, we have a lot of quality in the team and it has shown in the last few games .
“It’s just about doing it on a regular basis. You get up for these big matches but it’s the ones in the middle that we need to start trying to dominate and pick up maximum points.
“We just keep trying to motor on and pick up as many points as we can and see where it takes us.”
MATCH OFFICIALS…
Graham Scott will oversee Saturday afternoon's game at Ashton Gate.
Scott has overseen nine games so far this season in all competitions, showing 33 yellow cards and three reds.
The Premier League official has also taken charge of a handful of EFL fixtures this term.
Scott will be assisted by Derek Eaton and Daniel Leach on the lines, whilst Leigh Doughty has been appointed as the fourth official.
EFL SUBSTITUTE RULES…
The five substitutions rule has been scrapped for the 2021/22 season, the English Football League confirmed in July.
The rule allowing clubs to make five changes, as opposed to the usual three, was brought in following football's restart in June 2020 after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given that games had to be condensed into a short period of time it was thought beneficial and allowed managers to make as many as five changes in three intervals during a match.
Clubs had a longer post-break between seasons this time around and so the temporary rule has been changed.
Teams will be able to name seven substitutes but only use a maximum of three.
STREAMING INFORMATION…
With
COVID-19 capacity restrictions lifted and EFL fixtures being played in
front of full crowds once again, the temporary change in streaming rules
is no longer valid.
If you can't make the game in person, other options to catch up with the action on the pitch – including live TV, live radio, streaming of selected matches alongside highlights on TV and online of every Sky Bet EFL game.
LIVE TV (DOMESTIC)
In the UK, Sky Sports will show 138 Sky Bet EFL matches, 15 Carabao Cup ties and the Semi Finals and Final of the Papa John’s Trophy.
In the case of Weekend Fixtures, the EFL’s designated kick-off times* for Sky Live Matches are usually scheduled as follows:
* Friday evenings at 7:45pm or 8pm
* Saturdays at 12:30pm; Sundays at 12-noon
Within the Sky contract there are other kick-off times that are available to the broadcaster
In the case of scheduled Midweek Matches, live Sky fixtures will be between 7:30pm and 8pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
RADIO
TalkSPORT offer exclusive live commentaries on national radio across the Sky Bet EFL as well as non-exclusive rights to the Carabao Cup that are shared by the BBC.Both TalkSPORT and the BBC have the ability to broadcast score flash updates across all competitions.BBC Local Radio also have individual commentary deals with selected EFL clubs.
LIVE TV (INTERNATIONAL)
Any match shown live on Sky Sports in the UK is made available overseas via the League’s international broadcast partners.As well as this fixture, a minimum of 36 Championship fixtures taking place on Saturdays at 3pm, will be distributed for international coverage, alongside selected League One and Two fixtures, Carabao Cup ties, and action from across the Sky Bet Play-Offs.
A full list of the EFL’s international broadcast partners are available here:efl.com/iFollow/international-broadcasters/
HIGHLIGHTS
In the UK, Quest will continue to be the home for all highlights of matches in the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup and Papa John’s Trophy, with action from a full weekend schedule of matches broadcast at 9pm on Saturdays, and midweek League highlights and Carabao Cup midweek highlights also screened on applicable weeknights. Internationally, a number of the EFL’s broadcast partners show repeat transmissions and highlights.
STREAMING
In respect of domestic streaming, the EFL will return to the position as was prior to the pandemic when the live broadcast or streaming of any match in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is prohibited between the hours of 2:45pm-5:15pm on Saturday afternoons.
EFL clubs will have the right to live-stream midweek matches on iFollow or Club equivalent service, with Sky Sports also able to stream the same Championship fixtures to subscribers across their Red Button interactive and digital services.
The position in each Sky Bet EFL division is as follows:
CHAMPIONSHIP - DOMESTIC
* All scheduled midweek matches (unless selected as one of Sky Sports Exclusive midweek selections)
* Displaced weekend matches – matches which are moved from Saturday 3pm kick-offs for non-TV purposes (at the discretion of the Home club)
* Bank Holiday matches (at the discretion of the Home club)
CHAMPIONSHIP - INTERNATIONAL
Overseas supporters can watch live all EFL Championship league games provided that they have not been selected for international television broadcast in a territory that has an overseas broadcast partner