Crystal Palace v Derby

Last updated : 18 March 2011 By BBC Sport

Derby County will again be without Tomasz Cywka, who has still not recovered from a knee problem.

Jake Buxton (groin) and goalkeeper Saul Deeney (shoulder) are still sidelined, but Russell Anderson and James Bailey could return to the squad.

MATCH PREVIEW

Beaten by leaders QPR last time out, Crystal Palace have won only one of their last five matches, but are above the relegation zone largely because of their brilliant home form and their all-important ability to beat other struggling sides.

Derby, 18th in the table, fit into that bracket and may not want to be reminded of the fact that Palace have not only won all five of their home matches this season against teams in the bottom eight, but have kept clean sheets in all five games.

The Rams have lost on four consecutive visits to Selhurst Park, where Palace are unbeaten in 11 home matches - a run that stretches back to October. And Dougie Freedman's men have kept clean sheets in all but one of their last 10 home games.

Boss Nigel Clough celebrates his 45th birthday on Saturday and takes his Derby side to London hoping they can build on their morale-boosting victory against Swansea. The Rams thumped Palace 5-0 in September, and a win this weekend would complete Derby's first league 'double' over them since the 1983/84 campaign.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• This is the 60th league meeting of these clubs. Derby have won 27 of the previous 59, and Palace 18.

Crystal Palace

• Twenty-six of Palace's 32 points have been picked up at home.

• They have won seven and drawn four of their home matches since their last defeat on their own patch: a 3-0 loss against Swansea on 30 October.

• Claude Davis and Dean Moxey could both face their former club.

Derby

• A victory for Derby would mean back-to-back wins for the first time since November.

• Three points would also complete the Rams' second league 'double' of the campaign. They have already beaten bottom side Preston both home and away.

• Shaun Barker is in line for his 350th career start.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport