After missing last weekend, Darren Bent has returned to the Derby County starting line-up for today’s highly-anticipated East Midlands derby clash with Nottingham Forest, kick-off: 12pm.

The 32-year-old returns to lead the line after recovering from a minor hamstring injury that kept him out of the 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic last time out.He replaces Matěj Vydra, who drops to the substitutes bench at Pride Park Stadium.Max Lowe, however, is not quite fit enough to return to the matchday fold and he continues to recover from a groin problem.Today’s local derby clash with Forest will see Jacob Butterfield make his 50th start for the Rams since he signed from Huddersfield Town in the summer of 2015.From back to front and as ever, Scott Carson, who has kept three straight clean sheets, retains his 100 per cent record of starting in every league game for Derby this season in goal.He will be supported by an experienced back four of Chris Baird, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce and Marcus Olsson, who all starred in that 1-0 win at Wigan last time out.Bradley Johnson, who has scored in each of his last two games, begins in the holding midfield role, whilst Butterfield and Hughes are deployed further forward to make up the middle of the park.Tom Ince and Johnny Russell start on the flanks for the seventh consecutive fixture and will partner Bent in leading the line against Philippe Montanier’s side today.McClaren will have a strong looking substitutes bench to call upon, aided by the return of a couple of bodies with Jonathan Mitchell, Craig Bryson, Jason Shackell, Abdoul Camara, Andreas Weimann and Jamie Hanson all in reserve.Carson, Baird, Keogh (C), Pearce, Olsson; Johnson, Butterfield, Hughes; Ince, Russell, BentMitchell, Bryson, Shackell, Camara, Vydra, Weimann, Hanson

Nottingham Forest: Stojkovic, Lichaj, Mancienne, Mills, Lansbury (C), Osborn, Bendtner, Kasami, Perquis, Lam, Cash





Substitutes: Traore, Pereira, Carayol, Vaughan, Henderson, Vellios, Worrall

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