Derby County will look to being 2025 with a bang as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow for their latest Championship assignment.
Paul Warne’s side will be looking to gain revenge for their 2-1 defeat at Pride Park a few weeks back when a stoppage-time goal from Jamal Lowe handed the Owls all three points.
Derby go into the game on the back of a spirited performance against Leeds on Sunday when the table-toppers came away with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Brenden Aaronson goal.
There looks to have been no fresh injuries after that narrow defeat to Daniel Farke’s side but there are definite absentees for the game against Danny Rohl’s side.
Here DerbyshireLive brings you the latest as the Rams prepare for the trip to face the Owls.
Ben Osborn
The midfielder was forced to miss the 2-1 triumph over West Brom on Boxing Day because he had tweaked his glute in the final part of Christmas Eve’s training session. He was not involved for the defeat to Leeds on Sunday either and Warne said he was “unfortunately” going to miss the trip to Hillsborough tomorrow.
Liam Thompson
The midfielder picked up a minor issue prior to the defeat at Luton but he did return to training prior to the Leeds United defeat having had a brief spell on the sidelines.
Warne admitted after the loss against Leeds that it was doubtful he would make the Sheffield Wednesday game and had more of an eye on the Bristol City game at the weekend.
Eiran Cashin
In what is a considerable blow to Derby, given how well he has been playing, Cashin is still no closer to a return. The defender had to be replaced in the second half of the crushing 4-0 win over Portsmouth with a hamstring problem.
In an update after the Leeds game, Warne said: “Cash is weeks away, so I don’t expect to see him and don’t know if I’ll see him in January. We’ll have to wait and see.”
David Ozoh
The on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder has been out of action since picking up an injury against Cardiff. Initially, he had overcome the hamstring problem, which saw him taken off in the second half, but in his final session, before he was due to return, he damaged his quad muscle.
Ozoh is still not back in full training because he has an awareness of his injury. Paul Warne said after the defeat at Leeds that even if it’s just 10 per cent, they cannot risk pushing him back quickly. It is hoped he will be available come the middle of the month.
Ryan Nyambe
Nyambe was ruled out for up to six months because of a knee injury he sustained against Millwall earlier in the season. The former Blackburn defender has damaged his posterior ligament. While he will not have to undergo an operation, he will be out of action until next year.
However, the Rams have received an unexpected boost after Warne said he could return at the end of January.
“It’s disappointing (to lose Cashin), of course it is,” said Warne. “Hopefully, the lads perform admirably without him on Friday (v Luton). It sounds awful, but you soon forget – that’s how sport is.
“Ryan Nyambe is well ahead of schedule which is great news. He might be back in the fray at the end of January.
“But while he has been out and the team have been doing okay, not everyone has been crying about Ryan missing. You sort of forget, don’t you?”
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