Derby v Middlesbrough

Posted Tuesday, September 28, 2010 by BBC.com

Npower Championship
Venue: Pride Park Date: Tuesday, 28 September Kick-off: 1945 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio & highlights on The Football League Show

TEAM NEWS
England Under-19 international striker Ryan Noble has been named in the Derby squad after joining on a month's loan from Sunderland.

Defender Dean Leacock suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday and faces several weeks on the sidelines.

Fit-again Middlesbrough defenders Tony McMahon and Seb Hines could make their first starts of the season.

Scotland midfielder Kevin Thomson is nearing a return from the fractured lower leg he suffered in August.

MATCH PREVIEW
Derby striker Alberto Bueno was too good for Crystal Palace at the weekend, and the Spaniard will now face a brittle Middlesbrough defence that has been so bad on the road.

Bueno's first two goals in English football ended a seven-match winless streak for Derby; the on-loan Real Valladolid forward showed why he was recommended by Spain coach Vicente del Bosque as Nigel Clough's side won for the first time since the opening day of the season.

It took only 17 seconds on Saturday for Middlesbrough to demonstrate their defensive frailty, when David Wheater's poor back-pass allowed Watford to open the scoring in a 3-1 win.

Boro have only managed one point from their last six away matches since April, and currently look a long way short of the side tipped for promotion at the start of the season.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Derby (W6, D2).

• Derby last beat Boro in January 2000, courtesy of a 4-1 victory in the Premier League at the Riverside.

• The Rams' last home victory in this fixture was also in the Premier League; 2-1 in December 1998.

Derby

• Derby picked up their first win in eight league and cup matches with a 5-0 defeat of Crystal Palace at Pride Park on Saturday.

• It was the first time the Rams had kept a clean sheet this season.

• Nigel Clough's side are looking to complete consecutive home league wins for the first time since mid-February.

• Derby and Preston are the only clubs not to have scored in the last 15 minutes of a Championship game this term.

Middlesbrough

• Middlesbrough have lost three of their last five games.

• They are yet to win away from home in the Championship this season, and have lost the last three on the road.