Has Phil Brown been ‘bowled over’ by Adam Bolder’s recent performances? If so, he faces a selection poser, with Seth Johnson champing at the bit to return after suspension.
Vital Quotes:
‘Seth was irreplaceable a couple of weeks ago but Adam came in against Norwich and gave a great account of himself.
‘He provided an awful lot of energy to the team – not that Seth doesn’t – but Adam has staked his claim to keep one of our better players out.
‘Paul (Thirlwell) also played very well in the Norwich game and Inigo (Idiakez) gave a man-of-the-match performance.
‘Seth is probably looking at the situation and thinking ‘how am I going to get back in?’ That is exactly the sort of competition I am after.
‘Morten Bisgaard had a good 70 minutes in the behind-closed-doors game against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday and Lee Holmes played a full game.
‘Everybody seems to be pushing for places and it’s a great problem to have.
‘Now it is down to me to pick the right team to face Preston.’
Derby Team News:
Derby have been playing 4-5-1, with Idiakez dictating the play. Bolder, Thirlwell and Johnson are battling for two central midfield positions.
Player to watch: Idiakez
Wolves were after him in the summer and though he’s not been an inspirational as last season, he’s still a class act.
Preston Team News:
Callum Davidson – doubtful (hamstring)
Patrick Agyemang – out (hamstring)
Chris Lucketti – out (suspended)
Player to watch: David Nugent
He’s got 5 goals this season and Everton are hoping to buy him for about £2m.
Match Facts & Stats
Preston have won 42 of the league encounters between the two clubs, whereas Derby have only triumphed 34 times. Last year this fixture didn’t generate any goals.
Next Fixtures:
Cardiff (a) 17/12/05