3/1 To Win
Phillip Cocu has provided a squad update ahead of Derby County’s Carabao Cup First Round tie at home to Sky Bet League 2 side Barrow AFC on Saturday afternoon (12pm kick-off).
Skipper Wayne Rooney and attacking duo Martyn Waghorn and Tom Lawrence will miss the game at Pride Park Stadium due to injury.
Rooney sat out Tuesday’s pre-season friendly against Premier League side Sheffield United with a muscle problem, while Waghorn and Lawrence missed the Rams’ four pre-season matches in preparation for the 2020/21 campaign.
Waghorn is nursing a muscle problem while Lawrence is out with a shoulder injury which he sustained at the end of the 2019/20 season.
In addition, goalkeeper David Marshall is on international duty with Scotland and will not be involved.
Cocu says Waghorn and Rooney are due to resume training early next week, meaning they could feature in the Sky Bet Championship opener at home to Reading in just over a week’s time. Lawrence, meanwhile, is expected to be out for a little while longer.
Speaking to RamsTV, Cocu said: “We expect Martyn Waghorn to be back on Monday training with the team, if everything goes as planned.
“Tom Lawrence will be out for a little bit longer. We expected he would be close to getting back but it is a complicated injury on the shoulder, so he will need more time.
“Wayne Rooney has a muscle problem and we hope he will be back in training with the team next week.”
Poland international midfielder Krystian Bielik is still working his way back from a long-term knee injury.
Bielik suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January and he is making good progress on the road to recovery.
The 22-year-old, who can also play in central defence, has stepped up his rehabilitation work to the stage where he can take part in small parts of training sessions with his team-mates.
Cocu explained: “Krystian Bielik has been doing part of the sessions with the team, like a warm-up and passing drill.
“He needs more time after a long time out but it’s positive for him and he feels part of the team again.”
Cocu also confirmed as part of his pre-match media commitments that Jason Knight has returned from a training camp with the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21 side and he will be available for selection this weekend.
