3/1 To Win
Wayne Rooney wants Derby County to build on the good moments that have been on display in their opening two matches of the 2021/22 season this weekend.
Derby will make the journey to Peterborough United for their first away fixture of the Sky Bet Championship campaign on Saturday lunchtime (12:30pm kick-off).
Rooney’s side began the league season with a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town last Saturday, before recording a penalty shoot-out victory over Salford City in Round One of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
The cup success came after a thrilling 3-3 draw in normal time under the Pride Park Stadium floodlight as Derby came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to win 5-3 on spot-kicks.
Peterborough, by contrast, started the season with a 3-0 loss at Luton Town last weekend as well as a 4-0 defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle in the Carabao Cup.
Rooney is aware of the qualities that Darren Ferguson’s side possess, after finishing last season as runners-up in League One, and he is expecting a tough test against the Posh.
Rooney told RamsTV: “We are preparing the team and preparing for how we want to play, what ideas we have for the game and being ready to try and get three points.
“I know it will be a tough game. It’s Peterborough’s first league game at home of the season so I’m sure their supporters will be right behind them.
“They haven’t had a great start in the league or the cup, we know that, but we are expecting them to bounce back from that and we know it will be a tough game.
“We have to do everything we can to go there and get three points.”
He added: “The start of the season, in terms of the draw against Huddersfield and going through in the cup against Salford, has been good, but there is going to be a time where it is not so good and we have bad moments, which we have to be ready for.
“There will be moments where the players have to deal with the crowd, the pressure of the media and they have to cope with anything else that is going on with the club. It’s up to me to protect the youngsters especially and give them the game time when I feel it is right.”
Rooney made a raft of changes for the cup clash with Salford and named several youngsters in the starting line-up.
Seven players from the club’s Academy set-up started the game and the Rams’ boss was delighted with how the players stood up to the challenge against Gary Bowyer’s side.
Rooney said: “It was a good result in the end. It was a bit of a nervous start, but I thought the lads grew throughout the game and deserved the win.
“It was basically an Under-23 team with three overage players in it, so that team would have qualified to play in the Under-23 league. To beat a League Two side in Salford was a very good result.
“For a few of them, it was their debut in a competitive game. It was a massive night. I know a lot of them had their families there to support them and I thought the way they performed in the circumstances of the game.
“To go 2-0 and 3-2 down and come back again and win on penalties, I was delighted for them all.”
Derby have been drawn away to fellow Championship outfit Sheffield United in Round Two, with the game due to take place in the week commencing Monday 23rd August.
Rooney has indicated that the Rams’ youngsters will have another chance to shine at Bramall Lane.
“It will be a chance for those players,” he said. “It will be a very similar team to what played the other night.
“It will be a good experience for them to go to Bramall Lane and play a Championship team which has just come down from the Premier League, so it is a different experience compared to the Salford game. “
