THE OPPOSITION
Derby County remain too close to the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone for comfort as we head into the final ten games of the campaign. They have a seven-point buffer over Rotherham United, who do, however, have four games in hand, but, more importantly, are four points clear of Birmingham City on the same games despite taking just two points from their last five.
It is perhaps surprising that under England's greatest ever goalscorer in Wayne Rooney their struggles have been in attack this term. They have scored just 25 goals in 36 matches and have failed to score in a joint-league high 18 games. Colin Kazim-Richards (7) is the only man in their squad with more than three goals to his name this season.
At the other end of the pitch, Rooney and his coaching team have turned The Rams into one of the division's meanest defenses. They've conceded the second fewest goals of any side outside the top ten (39), and have as many clean sheets (11) as us and Barnsley.
As you might expect with a side searching for that winning formula, Derby have used a league high 35 different players in their 36 games this season.
Their cause this season has not been helped by another serious knee-injury suffered by Krystian Bielik in January. Derby picked up 21 points in the 12 games he played around the turn of the year but have taken just 11 from the 10 they've played since then.
TEAM NEWS
Christian Norgaard made his first start since October on Friday night while Pontus Jansson played 70 minutes for Brentford B on Saturday. Rico Henry (hamstring), Josh Dasilva (hip), Shandon Baptiste (knee), and Luka Racic (back) remain out.
Krystian Bielik (knee), Jordan Ibe (hamstring) and Curtis Davies (achilles) are Derby's long-term absentees. Tom Lawrence is set to return to the matchday squad tonight for the first time since he picked up an ankle injury in December while Lee Gregory (knee) is also fit to play.
THE MANAGER
A childhood prodigy who went on to become Manchester United and England's record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney's playing days are now at an end as he steps into the dugout at Pride Park. He retires having won 16 major trophies, including five Premier Leagues and a Champions League, at Manchester United as well as representing England at six major finals. England's most capped outfield player was voted the PFA Players' Player, PFA Fans' Player, Football Writers Association, and Premier League Player of the Year in 2009/10, finishing fifth in the Ballon D'Or voting in 2011. In total he scored 313 goals in 761 Club appearances to add to 53 goals in 120 England appearances.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
⚖ David Webb will be the man in charge tonight
🆚 BBC Sport's Chris Coles on The Rams
MEMORABLE MEETING
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HOW TO FOLLOW
Tonight's game is available on iFollow Brentford as well as the Sky Sports Red Button.
For just £10 (£7 international fans) you can keep up with all the action live from Pride Park.
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