Confirmed: Derby and Nottingham Forest line-ups

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Here is how Derby County and Nottingham Forest will line up this afternoon:

Derby County welcome Nottingham Forest to Pride Park Stadium this afternoon for their first match since the latest international break.

The Rams are currently 17th in the Championship table with 13 points from 10 matches, while Forest are two points and four places better off heading into this clash.

Such is the nature of the second tier that a couple of victories can quickly turn any side from relegation candidates to play-off chasers; a fact Aston Villa proved earlier this season.

Derby and Forest will both be aware of that and will not be giving up on their promotion hopes even if things have not always gone according to plan in the early weeks of the campaign.

A win for either side will lift them to withing touching distance of the to six and from there anything is possible.

Forest welcome back Jamie Ward, who has recovered from a calf problem, while Derby are without the suspended Bradley Johnson.

This should be an entertaining clash that could go either way, although Derby will be hoping home advantage ultimately helps in their quest to see off Forest and move above them in the table in the process.