3/1 To Win
On-loan defender Matt Clarke says Derby County need to be on top of their game from the first minute as they look to secure a place in the FA Cup Fifth Round this weekend.
The Rams head to the PTS Academy Stadium to take on Sky Bet League Two side Northampton Town on Friday night (8pm kick off) in the Fourth Round of the competition.
Clarke, who scored his first goal for the Rams in the 1-0 victory over Hull City last weekend, is no stranger to facing the Cobblers, having played against them on numerous occasions whilst at Portsmouth.
Northampton are in good form, winning their last four games in all competitions and haven't tasted defeat at home since the start of October.
Clarke knows that the Rams will need to be at their best to get a positive result.
“I have played enough games against opponents like Northampton,” he told RamsTV. “I have played at Northampton and it’s not an easy place to go.
“There is no such thing as an easy tie away from home against a lower league opposition and it’s something we are all aware of.
“We have to be bang at it and if we aren’t then we will fall short.”
The Rams themselves head into the game full of confidence after remaining unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions.
Four of those have been wins, and the latest came on Saturday as Clarke’s second-half header secured a valuable three points for the Rams at Pride Park Stadium against Hull.
The Brighton & Hove Albion loanee believes the Rams are full of confidence right now.
“The cup can be laballed as a bit of distraction but with the good run of form we have at the moment we don't see it that way and we are looking forward to the game,” he said.
“We will look to get a win and put in a good performance to keep the momentum building.”
