Derby v Man Utd preview

Hulse: Expected to feature

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With Wembley almost in sight, Derby and Manchester United meet in the Carling Cup semi-finals.

Just two games separate either side from a memorable day out at the home of English football on 1st March.

The first leg of the last four contest will take place at Pride Park on Wednesday, with the hosts desperate to take a positive result with them to Old Trafford in a fortnight's time.

The Rams will also be looking to make a positive first impression on incoming boss Nigel Clough.

The former Burton Albion coach has been confirmed as the club's new manager but will not officially take charge until Thursday, meaning academy director David Lowe is handed the task of trying to cause a midweek upset.

Their league form suggests they could be in for difficult night, though, with only one win taken from their last nine outings.

They did dispose of top-flight outfit Stoke in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup, but United promise to be an entirely different proposition.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men are unbeaten in their last 14 games in all competitions and are flying high in the Premier League table.

They eased to a 5-3 victory over Blackburn in the last eight and will have their sights set on a first Carling Cup crown for three years.

Hines debut

New signing Seb Hines goes straight into the reckoning for Derby ahead of the crunch clash.

The England U19 international defender, who can play anywhere along the back line, agreed a month-long loan spell at the Rams from Middlesbrough on Monday and could make his debut given the club's defensive problems.

Martin Albrechtsen is a doubt after jarring his knee against Forest Green in the FA Cup at the weekend while Claude Davis has resumed training after his latest knee problem but will be short of fitness after almost six weeks on the sidelines.

Paul Connolly trained on Monday after missing the Christmas programme with a knee injury and could come into contention while Jordan Stewart serves the second game of a three-match ban.

Striker Rob Hulse has a slight stomach strain but is expected to be fit for Derby's first appearance in a major cup semi-final since 1976, and the club's first in the last four of the League Cup since 1968.

Tevez returns

Carlos Tevez is set to return for Manchester United as they head for the East Midlands.

Tevez has returned from a New Year trip back to Argentina, sanctioned by Sir Alex Ferguson, only for mixed messages to appear about his intentions once a two-year loan deal at Old Trafford expires this summer.

Ferguson is set to make further changes to the side that won at Southampton in the FA Cup on Sunday, with Tomasz Kuszczak, Darron Gibson and Rodrigo Possebon among those expected to be included.