Derby will be looking to move one step closer to safety when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Davis ineligible; McEveley out
Derby County will be looking to move one step closer to safety when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Rams have made a fine recovery from poor early season form to move five points clear of the drop, but with Championship survival still not assured, Nigel Clough's side will no doubt be going all out for the win.
And the away side may be helped by the fact that Crystal Palace will be without defender Claude Davis.
The centre-half is on loan from Pride Park and is ineligible to face his parent club, so Matt Lawrence or Jose Fonte will partner Paddy McCarthy at the back.
Palace skipper Shaun Derry is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery this week.
Fellow midfielders John Oster (neck) and Neil Danns (groin) remain doubtful so teenager James Comley, who made his full debut at Southampton on Easter Monday, could keep his place.
Winger Paul Ifill is missing with a hamstring injury and forward Sean Scannell is still sidelined with hernia trouble.
Youngsters Kieron Cadogan and Nathanial Pinney both hit hat-tricks for the reserves in midweek to push their claims.
Rams worries
Derby themselves have some serious injury problems to contend with ahead of the tie.
Jay McEveley broke a bone in his foot during the Bank Holiday Monday defeat to Wolves and will miss the remainder of the season.
The left-back joins midfielders Paul Green and Miles Addison and striker Steve Davies in being sidelined with similar injuries recently.
With Jordan Stewart still absent, centre-half Lewin Nyatanga is expected to fill in for McEveley.
Top scorer Rob Hulse will continue to play through the pain barrier with various knocks and strains, while fellow striker Chris Porter is closing in on a return from the hip injury that has kept him out since the start of March.
"There is a chance of Chris being available at some point in our remaining four games. We are not sure when, but he will be the main player we are looking to get back," said boss Nigel Clough.
