3/1 To Win
David Nugent has challenged Derby County to jump straight back into the top-six after a ‘massive game’ against Middlesbrough and solidify their place during a big week.
The Rams’ crusade to force themselves back into a play-off spot begins against the striker’s former club on Saturday, kick-off: 3pm.
Boro kicked Derby out of the top-six last weekend after their 2-1 win over Bristol City, so it comes at a good time for the clubs to meet. It is now in the Rams’ hands to grab that spot back.
It marks the start of a busy week as Derby are set to face Cardiff City and Aston Villa over the eight-day period. With those three teams in the top-five, Nugent believes it plays to Derby’s advantage.
He told RamsTV: “These next three games are all against teams around us. I think that’s the best way, you know if you beat them you are either catching them up or going ahead of them.
“That’s perfect for us and I think we up our game against the better teams and most of our best performances this season have come up against the teams around us. Hopefully that will stay true to its word and we will get nine points out of nine.”
Despite moving out of a play-off position last week, extending the season to compete for promotion is still firmly on Nugent’s and his team-mates’ minds.
Having already earned promotion in the past with Middlesbrough and Leicester City, Nugent has some insider’s tips on what it will take to make the step up to the Premier League, but says the squad are fully confident they have what it takes.
“We have got to work together on the pitch. Some of the goals we have been conceding have been sloppy, so it’s just like recovery runs, getting back into position quicker,” he added.
"We need each other - there’s no doubt about that.
“When we are talking and free-flowing and playing the football that we can, there’s not many teams that will be able to live with us in this league. If we do get in the play-offs I fancy ourselves in a two-leg against anyone, knowing we only have two games to put it right.
“Our mentality in the dressing room is we can go out there and beat anyone.”
At the end of November, Derby went to Riverside Stadium to defeat Boro 3-0 after a hat-trick from Matej Vydra and Nugent is pleased to see how the Czech Republic international has flourished this season.
“It was a good day for us, 3-0 away from home against Middlesbrough when they were on a good run of form,” he said.
“He’s gone on to do great things this season with all those goals he has scored, I’m just made up for him. You always need that one person to hit the 20-goal mark and he’s done it for us this season. Hopefully he can score a few more now and help get us into the play-offs.”
But a month after Derby handed them that defeat, Middlesbrough made a change to their coaching staff and appointed Tony Pulis as the new manager and they will face a very different team.
“I think they will be a lot more organised. They won’t be that tiki-taka football they tried to play under Garry Monk and previous years.
“Tony Pulis is tried and tested you know what you are going to get – a solid back four, they don’t concede many goals and it will be up to whoever is selected to play to break them down. We are looking forward to it, it’s a massive game for the club.
“If we do beat them and get the three points, we get back in the play-offs then hopefully we can secure our place in the next couple of games.”
