Preview: Derby County vs. Norwich City

Derby County will need to bounce back from a disappointing week if they are to return to the top of the Championship table this Saturday.

The Rams host fellow playoff contenders Norwich City in the early kickoff at the iPro Stadium having suffered back-to-back damaging defeats in the last seven days.

Middlesbrough ran out 2-0 victors at The Riverside last weekend to knock Derby off top spot and replace them in the automatic promotion places, while Chelsea cruised to a 3-1 victory in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Tuesday.

Steve McClaren's side were on the wrong end of a red card in both of those matches, and Jake Buxton will serve the first of a two-match ban this weekend as a result.

However, Ryan Shotton, who was dismissed against Boro, is available once again having served his suspension, and should replace Buxton in the centre of defence.

Jordon Ibe is also pushing for a start having impressed off the bench against Chelsea, playing a big part in his side's only goal of the game.

The Rams may have fallen to defeat at the iPro during the week, but they will be confident of returning to winning ways against a side in the same division as them having only lost one home league game all season.

However, they have lost three of their last four matches overall, and another defeat this weekend would condemn to three in a row for the first time since January.

Norwich, meanwhile, have made a timely return to form in recent weeks, beating Wigan Athletic to end a four-match winless streak before hammering Huddersfield Town 5-0 at Carrow Road last weekend.

As a result, they remain in touch with the playoff places and would move into the top six for a few hours at least with a victory in the lunchtime kickoff.

The Canaries have been hit and miss on the road so far this season, but they have amassed just one point fewer on their travels than at Carrow Road.

They will be full of confidence going into this match too, and Neil Adams has a selection dilemma up front having seen Lewis Grabban come off the bench to score against Huddersfield.

Cameron Jerome was also on the scoresheet and should retain his place, meaning that Gary Hooper's spot could be in doubt should Adams decide to move things around.

One player who is expected to start is Nathan Redmond after he replaced Gary O'Neil at half time last weekend and found the net within a couple of minutes of his introduction.

Derby:

Form in Championship: WWWLWL Form in all competitions: WWLWLL

Possible starting lineup: Grant; Christie, Shotton, Keogh, Forsyth; Hendrick, Mascarell, Bryson; Ibe, Martin, Russell

Norwich:

Recent form: LLDLWW

Possible starting lineup: Ruddy; Martin, Whittaker, Cuellar, Olsson; Johnson, Howson, Redmond, Hooper, Tettey; Jerome

Sports Mole says: 3-2