Derby County v Leeds United: Big Match Preview - Key Battle, Key Man and Verdict ahead of Rams clash

AHEAD of Leeds United's penultimate game of the season against Derby County, the YEP's Lee Sobot puts together a Big Match Preview looking at the likely key aspects of the clash at Pride Park.
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MAIN DETAILS

Date: Today

Time: 2pm

KEY MEN: Derby County's former England captain and now Rams skipper Wayne Rooney, right, and top scorer Martyn Waghorn who is back from suspension. Picture by Mike Egerton/PA Wire.KEY MEN: Derby County's former England captain and now Rams skipper Wayne Rooney, right, and top scorer Martyn Waghorn who is back from suspension. Picture by Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
KEY MEN: Derby County's former England captain and now Rams skipper Wayne Rooney, right, and top scorer Martyn Waghorn who is back from suspension. Picture by Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

TV: Sky Sports

Competition: Sky Bet Championship

Venue: Pride Park (behind closed doors)

Odds (best available): Derby win - 2-1; Draw - 5-2; Leeds win - 29-20.

LAST TIME AT PRIDE PARK

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Championship play-offs semi-final first leg

Derby County 0 Leeds United 1. Goals: Roofe (55)

KEY BATTLE - CHRIS MARTIN V LIAM COOPER

Derby will have top scorer Martyn Waghorn back available with the striker having serving his three-match ban for his red card in the 1-1 draw at home to Nottingham Forest while Wales international Tom Lawrence is another key threat from attacking midfield.

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But experienced Scotland international forward Chris Martin has been leading the Rams line in the lone striker role of late.

With Ben White likely to once again be deployed as a holding midfielder in the absence of the injured Kalvin Phillips, skipper and centre-back Liam Cooper's attentions of Martin will be key and Leeds will need to limit the Rams to far less chances than wasteful Barnsley created in Thursday's 1-0 loss at Elland Road.

DERBY KEY MAN - WAYNE ROONEY

Rooney might now be 34 years old and playing in a much deeper role but class is permanent, as Leeds well know with their own magician in 35-year-old Pablo Hernandez.

Whether Hernandez starts remains to be seen with the Spaniard having been nursing a hamstring issue but Rooney looks certain to start in centre midfield and the former England captain has weighed in with five goals and three assists since signing for the Rams in January.

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His passing remains top notch and Rooney will be a menace at set pieces, in particular with direct free-kicks from around the box.

LEE SOBOT'S VERDICT

How times change with Sunday's clash at Pride Park a rematch of last May's play-offs semi-final first leg in which a Kemar Roofe strike gave United a 1-0 victory only for Derby to progress to the final with a dramatic 4-2 victory in the second leg at Elland Road.

But the Rams still failed to go up after defeat in the Wembley play-off final to Aston Villa and one year later Leeds will arrive at Pride Park having already ensured promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions.

Quite what is in store here is anyone's guess with Derby's promotion hopes also over given that Phillip Cocu's side sit 12th and nine points off the play-offs.

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Whether the Rams will give Leeds a guard of honour has been one of the biggest talking points and it remains to be seen what side Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa fields with the title and promotion already in the bag.

But whatever the circumstances, Derby against Leeds is usually a spicy affair and the presence of Wayne Rooney adds a bit more heat.

Derby have looked pretty unspectacular of late, Rooney's class aside, and even with the title in the bag, Sunday's clash ought to present a decent chance for Leeds to wave goodbye to the Rams with one last victorious parting shot.