Wayne Rooney will make his Derby County debut this evening and has been named as captain by manager Phillip Cocu.
The 34-year-old had been on the coaching staff since November but had not been eligible to play until the transfer window opened yesterday, on New Year’s Day.
With a number of injuries in the Rams midfield, it appears the all-time England national team top goalscorer will play in the middle of a 4-4-2 diamond formation.
The two team’s for this evening’s match at Pride Park are as follows:
Derby County
Ben Hamer; Andre Wisdom, Curtis Davies, Matthew Clarke, Max Lowe; Max Bird, Duane Holmes, Jason Knight, Wayne Rooney; Jack Marriott, Martyn Waghorn
Substitutes: Kelle Roos, Jayden Bogle, Craig Foryth, Scott Malone, Louie Sibley, Morgan Whittaker, Chris Martin
Ben Hamer continues between the sticks for the Rams, whilst Cocu names the same back four that held off Charlton Athletic on Monday.
Krystian Bielik misses out through suspension following his red card after only 17 minutes last time out. With Derby also missed Graham Shinnie, Tom Huddlestone and George Evans to injury in the middle of the park, 18-year-old Max Bird will start as the sole holding midfielder – one of two teenagers in the starting lineup.
The other is two-goal hero from Monday, Jason Knight. The Irishman will start alongside Rooney and Duane Holmes.
Jack Marriott and Martyn Waghorn lead the line with the former having scored just once in his last 33 Championship matches.
Barnsley
Samuel Sahin-Radlinger; Jordan Williams, Bambo Diaby, Mads Juel Andersen, Clarke Oduor; Aapo Halme, Mike-Steven Bahre, Alex Mowatt, Luke Thomas; Conor Chaplin, Patrick Schmidt
Substitutes: Bradley Collins, Kenneth Dougall, Toby Sibbick, Callum Styles, Dylan Mottley-Henry, Elliot Simoes, Jacob Brown
Gerhard Struber’s side head to the East Midlands on a five-game unbeaten streak and with an extra 24 hours’ rest after a short turnaround for both sides.
The Austrian head coach will go with a 4-4-2 formation himself, with former Derby County youngster Luke Thomas lining up behind the two strikers.
Aapo Halme started the season as a centre-back but has moved into a holding midfielder in recent weeks where it appears he will continue playing this evening.
