3/1 To Win
Forward Tom Lawrence is looking forward to facing his former club on Thursday night as Derby County welcome Premier League giants Manchester United to Pride Park Stadium in the Fifth Round of the Emirates FA Cup (7:45pm kick-off).
The Rams set up the tie following a Fourth Round replay victory over Sky Bet League Two side Northampton Town last month.
Goals from Andre Wisdom, Duane Holmes, Jack Marriott and Wayne Rooney, who will also face his former club on Thursday night, secured Derby’s passage through to this stage of the competition.
And Lawrence comes into the game on the back of an impressive run of form in the Sky Bet Championship.
He scored a brace as Derby County beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 at Hillsborough on Saturday, taking his tally to nine league goals this season.
That double equalled with his best goalscoring season, whilst he has also contributed four assists.
The Welsh international is in line to face the club he both grew up supporting and playing for in the Academy, as well as making one first-team appearance, and he is excited about taking on the Premier League giants.
“This will be the third time in a row we’ve faced them now in a cup competition during the season and it’s always good playing against Manchester United,” he said, speaking to RamsTV.
“I supported them as a kid and I managed to make my debut for them and it’s always a big game.
“The first time I played against them was a big feeling, but now I am used to and we seem to play them every year.
“This is one you look forward to and I will have all the family coming down for it so it will be good.”
There will be a lot of excitement inside the Derby dressing room as several of the club’s rising stars grew up supporting the Red Devils.
Both Max Bird and Jason Knight, who have taken to the first-team set-up from the Academy like a duck to water, supported Manchester United as youngsters too and Lawrence says they have settled into the first team environment well.
“It’s a good dressing room,” he said. “The younger lads are finding their feet and you see them growing in their personality which is great to see.
“We have just not been getting the results we need to be where we want to be so it’s been a tough one so far.
“There are some good young players coming through now and it’s good to see.”
