Steve McClaren is aiming for a clean bill of health on the injury front at Derby County in the coming weeks.

Steve McClaren is aiming for a clean bill of health on the injury front at Derby County in the coming weeks.

Derby’s Head Coach is hopeful of having striker Chris Martin and midfielder George Thorne back from injury for next weekend’s top-of-the-table clash at Norwich City.

The duo are currently sidelined with hamstring and thigh injuries respectively and will miss this weekend’s home game with Birmingham City.

Injuries have hit Derby in recent weeks but McClaren is also confident of having striker Darren Bent and John Eustace back from injury following the final two-week international break of the season later this month.

He has highlighted the importance of having as many players as possible available for selection for the promotion run-in, with Derby currently second and in the race for automatic promotion.



McClaren told Rams Player: “Fingers crossed we should have George Thorne and Chris Martin back for the game against Norwich, that’s the aim.





“They are out on the grass doing a bit of functional work at the moment.







“We take one day at a time and the players that are out are being positive around the place.





“We need everybody fit for the games after the international break, that’s when the pressure is coming.





“In the meantime we will use the squad and get through these games; we have a good squad and we’ll carry on.”





He added: “We can’t let the injuries upset us at all.





“We cannot let them derail us or knock us off our stride.





“We have to be calm, positive and know that there are plenty of big games ahead.”









McClaren accepts that losing frontmen Martin and Bent at the same time is somewhat unfortunate.

Martin has hit the net 19 times this season while Bent has managed seven goals since his arrival on loan from Aston Villa in January.

The Head Coach says that any side would be hampered with the loss of their main strikers at the top end of the Championship.



He is, however, not using the injuries as an excuse.

He said: “We’ve had a few injuries of late and when you lose your best players, you’re going to miss them.





“We’ve been unlucky to lose both Chris Martin and Darren Bent at the same time up front.





“We’re not making excuses or anything like that.







“If you take the best players out of the other top teams in the division, especially the strikers, then they would struggle to score goals as well.”





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