In Cyrus Christie’s absence, Chris Baird has been given the nod by Steve McClaren to fill the right back void for today’s home meeting with Rotherham United, kick-off: 3pm.

The 34-year-old former Northern Ireland international comes in for his first senior appearance since the Rams’ 0-0 draw with Brentford a month ago.

Christie, who had started all of Derby’s Sky Bet Championship fixtures to date, is ruled out for the next three months with a foot injury, which he sustained in the first half of the 3-2 victory over Wolves two weeks ago.

Baird’s recall acts as the only change to the starting XI from that win before the international break.

With that Scott Carson resumes his 100 per cent record between the goal posts for today’s meeting with the Millers.

In front of him is a back four of Baird, Richard Keogh, the captain, Alex Pearce and Max Lowe.

Bradley Johnson, making his eighth consecutive start, takes up his position in the holding midfield role, whilst Will Hughes and Jacob Butterfield maintain their positions in the middle of the park too.

Tom Ince, who bagged two goals in the win over Wolves, starts on the flank with Rotherham on the opposite side and the duo will support Darren Bent in attack.

On a strong looking substitutes bench, Jonathan Mitchell, Craig Bryson, Jason Shackell, Ikechi Anya, Matěj Vydra, Andreas Weimann and Jamie Hanson are in reserve should McClaren, the Derby manager, wish to call upon them.

RamsTV spoke with Chris Powell, Derby’s assistant manager, to get a full review of the Derby matchday squad ahead of today’s meeting with the Millers…

Derby County: Carson, Baird, Keogh (C), Pearce, Lowe; Johnson, Butterfield, Hughes; Ince, Russell, Bent

Substitutes: Mitchell, Bryson, Shackell, Anya, Vydra, Weimann, Hanson

Rotherham United: Camp, Mattock, Wood (C), Ward, Forster-Caskey, Taylor, Odemwingie, Halford, Fisher, Newell, Adeyemi

Substitutes: Price, Kelly, Vaulks, Fry, Belaid, Brown, Yates

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