Preview: Derby County vs. Shrewsbury Town - prediction, team news, lineups

The Rams are sitting in second place in the League One table, while the visitors head into the weekend in 17th position.

Match preview

Derby climbed into the automatic promotion places with a 1-0 victory in their away meeting with Charlton Athletic last Saturday.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored the decisive goal to guide the Rams to a narrow win, which represented their fourth win in the last six league matches.

After keeping the Addicks at bay last weekend, Derby have now recorded 12 clean sheets in their 30 league matches - only Stevenage and Portsmouth have recorded more shutouts.

In addition to their resolute defence, Paul Warne's side are also the joint second-highest scorers in the division with 53 goals.

Derby will be hoping to showcase their firepower on Saturday as they go in search of their first competitive victory over Shrewsbury since September 1995, having failed to win any of their previous five meetings (D3, L2).

Meanwhile, Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst is set to take charge of his third game since returning to the club for a second spell as manager.

Hurst began his tenure with a 2-0 away win over Northampton Town, before he saw his side fall to a narrow 2-1 loss in last Saturday's home meeting with Cambridge United.

Although Daniel Udoh gave his side the lead in the 12th minute, Lyle Taylor netted a brace to turn the game in Cambridge's favour and leave Shrewsbury with nothing to show for their efforts.

Having now lost seven of their last nine league matches, Shrewsbury find themselves in the middle of a relegation battle with just three points separating them from the bottom four.

Although they may be experiencing a poor run of form, Saturday's visitors will have the chance to complete a league double oer Derby after recording a 1-0 victory when the two sides last met in October.

Derby County League One form:

W

W

D

L

W

W

Derby County form (all competitions):

L

W

D

L

W

W

Shrewsbury Town League One form:

L

W

L

L

W

L

Shrewsbury Town form (all competitions):

W

L

L

L

W

L

Team News

Derby loanee Tyreece John-Jules has returned to his parent club Arsenal after he sustained a hamstring injury which is set to keep him out for the rest of the season.

The Rams are also unable to call upon the injured quartet of Craig Forsyth, Martyn Waghorn, Conor Washington and Jake Rooney, while Mendez-Laing is a doubt after being forced off in the win over Charlton.

Corey Blackett-Taylor missed last Saturday's clash gam his former club due to a groin issue, and the January addition is battling to be fit for the home clash with Shrewsbury.

As for the visitors, they are without the services of Tom Flanagan and George Nurse, who are both ruled out through injury.

Forward Tom Bloxham will serve a one-match suspension after being sent off in stoppage time against Cambridge for two bookable offences.

With Bloxham unavailable, Aiden O'Brien could be presented with his first start since returning from a loan spell with Sutton United.

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Vickers; Nelson, Bradley, Cashin; Ward, Adams, Bird, Hourihane, Sibley; Barkhuizen, Collins

Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:

Marosi; Feeney, Dunkley, Pierre, Benning; Perry, Winchester, Shipley; O'Brien, Bayliss, Udoh

We say: Derby County 3-1 Shrewsbury Town

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