Derby County play host to Crystal Palace at Pride Park this Saturday in their Championship tussle.
Rams wait on Roberts; Davids could return for Eagles
Derby County play host to Crystal Palace at Pride Park this Saturday in their Championship tussle.
The Rams are still targeting their first home win of the season and Nigel Clough's side have not tasted victory since the opening day success at Leeds United.
Palace, meanwhile, lie just one position above their weekend opponents and George Burley's side will be keen to avoid defeat on their travels having been easily beaten 3-0 in their last two trips.
Derby will monitor the fitness of left-back Gareth Roberts ahead of Palace's visit to the Midlands.
A tight hamstring and calf muscle has kept Roberts out of the last two matches - the injuries are a result of the severe cramp he suffered in the home defeat by Sheffield United this month when he was carried off on a stretcher.
Dean Moxey played at left-back against Hull and Barnsley and is set to continue if Roberts remains sidelined.
Stephen Pearson is likely to be on the bench again. The midfielder made his return from knee surgery as a second-half substitute at Barnsley and continued his comeback with 45 minutes for the reserves this week.
Former Palace striker Shefki Kuqi, on loan from Swansea, is in line to make his home debut. Defenders Russell Anderson (groin) and Jake Buxton (stomach and groin) and striker Chris Porter (hip) remain out.
Buxton is still experiencing discomfort following surgery and will have an injection next week while Porter is set to return to a specialist in a bid to get to the bottom of his long-standing problem.
Palace news
Edgar Davids has returned to the Crystal Palace squad ahead of the trip to Derby.
The veteran Dutch midfielder has been on compassionate leave following the death of his father, and Burley will check on his fitness before deciding whether to include him.
Last season's top scorer Darren Ambrose is still on the sidelines with a leg injury but has pencilled in a return against QPR next weekend.
Defender Anthony Gardner remains a doubt with an ankle problem so Claude Davis is likely to face his old club at centre-half.
Former Rams loanee James Vaughan will keep his place in attack but full-backs David Wright (calf) and Lee Hills and winger Sean Scannell (both knee) are still on the sidelines.
