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Danny Higginbotham is troubled with a groin strain that meant he missed the friendly last week with Scunthorpe United. A match that the Rams won with considerable ease, 5-1 being the final score. Fabrizio Ravanelli scoring the first and last of the Derby County Goals. Lee Morris, Francois Grenet and Branko Strupar getting the other goals.
The star man for Derby could be one of several players. Fabrizio Ravanelli must be mentioned. He has come back after the summer looking fit and sharp and the brace of goals against Scunthorpe will have done his confidence a power of good.
Lee Morris is another young winger/striker that has come back from several career-threatening injuries and may prove to be a match winner either in this match or throughout the season for derby.
Danny Higginbotham may not play against Notts County but if so will prove a major barrier to Notts strikers. The defender and Derby County player of last season has improved beyond all recognition since his £2million move from Manchester United.
Derby County have played a couple of behind closed-door games already this pre-season and have won them all. A 3-0 victory over Blackpool was preceded by a 1-0 win over Oxford United. These games included proposed new signing Yakubu Aiyegbeni, a Nigerian International striker. Yakubu scored in both matches, however due to not having a work permit at the moment he cannot play in any public matches.
I would have thought the close proximity and the eager anticipation of a good local Derby will have a sizable away crowd for the game, although Derby County do play Lazio at Pride Park three days after our game with you Magpies so travelling support may suffer slightly for that.
A score prediction for the game is hard. I am sure we would be hoping for a win but I have a feeling it may be an honourable draw given the closeness of the coming season I am sure players on both sides will not be flat out. So 2-2 is my prediction.