After impressing off the substitutes bench in midweek, Matěj Vydra is named in the starting XI for the first time since the beginning of January in Derby County’s home meeting with Barnsley.

The 24-year-old last started against Norwich City, at Carrow Road, on New Year’s Day and his inclusion acts as one of two changes Steve McClaren has made to the starting line-up that began Tuesday’s clash at Blackburn Rovers.Marcus Olsson is also recalled to the left back void for the first time since the home meeting with Cardiff City last month.Those changes see Will Hughes drop to the substitutes bench at Pride Park Stadium, whilst Max Lowe is not involved in the matchday 18.Darren Bent misses this afternoon’s clash with Barnsley due to illness, whilst Richard Keogh and Jason Shackell, as expected, are also ruled out due to injury and therefore are not involved in the matchday fold.Steve McClaren spoke about being flexible with his formation choice during his pre-match press conference earlier this week and the squad he has selected this afternoon seems to suggest that.In goal, Scott Carson’s 100 per cent record of league starts over this season will continue, whilst Cyrus Christie will start his fourth consecutive game at right back, with Marcus Olsson operating at left back.For the second successive game, Alex Pearce, wearing the captain’s armband, and Chris Baird will partner each other at centre back.Further forward, there is a different feel to the middle of the park.McClaren has deployed two natural midfielders in Julien de Sart and Bradley Johnson, whilst Johnny Russell, Matěj Vydra and Tom Ince line-up as a trio further up the pitch.David Nugent will make his first start at Pride Park Stadium to lead the line.McClaren, 55, will have Craig Bryson, Ikechi Anya, Jacob Butterfield, the former Barnsley man, Will Hughes, Abdoul Camara and Mason Bennett to call upon should he need them.Carson, Christie, Baird, Pearce (C), Olsson; De Sart, Johnson; Russell, Vydra, Ince; NugentMitchell, Bryson, Anya, Butterfield, Hughes Camara, BennettDavies, Jones, Yiadom, Roberts (C), MacDonald; Scowen, James, Watkins, Hammill, Armstrong, BradshawTownsend, Elder, Jackson, Moncur, Kent, Mowatt, LeeTweets by @ dcfcofficial