Derby County travel the small distance down the road today and visit Burton Albion. Sad day in all respects as the Brewers look certain to return to League one and what many now regards as the other local derby will be lost.
Matters however are firmly on the Rams wanting and needing to get three points to maintain their place in the playoff positions following the midweek lesson given to them by league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Derby County is currently in fifth place in the Championship with 68 points. Millwall is in the sixth position, on the same points as the Rams but a poorer goal difference and having played a game more.
Middlesbrough occupies the seventh place and should the Rams fail to gain points at the Pirelli Stadium, could knock the Rams out of the playoff places today if they beat Bristol City at home. Bristol sit just a place below Boro and could potentially end the day on the same points as Derby County should they beat Boro and the Rams fail at Burton.
The playoff positions are very tight as you can see, so the Rams destiny remains in their own hands for now and they do have a cushion of having a game in hand, but it must be remembered that game is against Cardiff City, a team going for automatic promotion.
Darren Bent on loan from the Rams is not eligible to play in today’s game
Burton would be relegated today if Derby County were to beat them, if Bolton Wanderers win at Barnsley and Birmingham beat Wolves on Sunday.
It all makes for a fascinating afternoon at the Pirelli Stadium as Gary Rowett returns as a former manager of the Brewers and of course he faces his opposite number in Nigel Clough, himself a former Rams manager. Darren Bent will also be ineligible to play for Albion as he is on loan from the Rams.