3/1 To Win
David Nugent and Johnny Russell are in line to return to the Derby County fold this weekend – and provide manager Gary Rowett with a major selection headache.
Nugent missed Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory at Leeds United due to illness, while Russell has sat out the last two matches with a groin complaint.
However, the pair were due to join the rest of first-team squad in training today ahead of Saturday’s home game against Reading at Pride Park Stadium (3pm kick-off).
Their returns will leave the 43-year-old with some tough decisions to make, particularly in attack, for the game against the Royals as the Rams chase a fifth successive league win.
Sam Winnall and Chris Martin started up front at Leeds in midweek, with the former bagging a second-half brace at Elland Road to take his tally to three goals in his last two appearances.
Czech Republic international Matej Vydra, Derby’s leading goalscorer this season with seven goals in all competitions, is also vying for a place in the side after being named on the bench at Leeds.
Therefore, Rowett has plenty of options to mull over ahead of the clash with Jaap Stam’s side - especially when it comes to his forward line.
He told RamsTV this morning: “Nuge and Johnny were both due to train today.
“Nuge feels a lot better, was able to eat yesterday and felt more like his normal self, while Johnny trained with the Sports Science team on Wednesday ahead of training today.
“The problem he had meant that it was painful for him to whip crosses in and shoot from distance.
“We couldn’t take a risk on him at Leeds, which is why Luke Thomas travelled with the squad on Tuesday ahead of Nuge pulling out due to illness – which meant he ended up on the bench.”
On Nugent, Vydra, Martin and Winnall all pushing to start up front, Rowett added: “I have four top, top strikers. I could literally start any of those four on Saturday and be justified in doing so.
“The challenge I’ve got is that I can only start two and the other two will be disappointed. You have to handle that disappointment and keeping that balance around how they feel when they’re not in the team.”
Rowett has admitted that midfielder Joe Ledley will have his fitness monitored ahead of Saturday’s game.
The experienced Welshman was replaced midway through the second half of the win at Leeds for tactical reasons, but the Derby boss says the recent signing does have a slight hamstring issue.
He said: “Joe Ledley came off for tactical reasons at Leeds but he did have a slight hamstring strain. I think he will be touch and go for the weekend.
“He has done really well since coming in and hopefully it’s nothing too bad. He’s obviously got the Wales games next week as well and I would imagine, as a proud Welshman, he will want to be involved.
“He has knitted some of those spaces together if you like and helped Tom Huddlestone with that defensive pivot that we’ve got which is so important to the team, as well as the build-up play from the back.”
