Preview: Derby County vs. Barnsley

Derby County still have an outside chance of being promoted automatically to the Premier League but go into Easter Monday's match against Barnsley knowing that anything but victory will see Burnley go up.

The Rams have won three in a row to keep alive their slim hopes of ousting the Clarets and now host lowly Barnsley, desperately in need of a win themselves as they battle the drop.

Steve McClaren is likely to go with the same side that won 2-0 at Doncaster Rovers on Good Friday, with George Thorne expected to keep his place ahead of John Eustace after scoring at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Barnsley, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four games and go into the final three games of the season three points adrift of safety.

The Tykes lost out to Leeds United in a narrow game on Saturday and given the close proximity of the two matches, Danny Wilson could make changes at the iPro Stadium.

Paddy McCourt and Nick Proschwitz are most likely to come in, especially if Wilson wants to rejig his attack.

Derby are unbeaten in their last three matches against Barnsley and won the reverse fixture back in December thanks to a brace from Chris Martin.

Recent form

Derby: WWWLWL

Barnsley: LWLLDW

Possible starting lineups

Derby: Grant; Wisdom, Buxton, Keogh, Forsyth; Bryson, Hughes, Thorne; Bamford, Martin, Russell

Barnsley: Steele; McLaughlin, M'Voto, Cranie, Kennedy; Jennings, Dawson, Lawrence, McCourt; O'Grady, Proschwitz

Sports Mole says: 3-1