The Whites head to Pride Park on Saturday for a mouth-watering top-six clash.
Wanderers and Derby County are camped inside the play-off places and both looking up as two of the form sides of League One.
Ian Evatt’s men will be backed by a sell-out away following of over 3,000 in the division’s game of the day as Wanderers aim to hand the Rams just a third home defeat of the season.
Manager quotes:
Ian Evatt: “This is a huge game and arguably the two most in-form teams in the league at the moment.
“The game here was extremely tight and I envisage a similar type of game at Pride Park.
“The games against the best teams are nearly always tight. Very rarely to you have loads of chances and opportunities.
“We’re going to have be at our very best and match their energy and intensity and then find the moments of quality.
“I believe we had the better chances here and when those moments come we have to make sure we try and take them.
“I think the surface there will probably help both teams. We’re looking forward to the game. It’s what we’re in the game for, to be part of these big occasions.”
Derby manager Paul Warne:
“It will have a bit of a different feel because we've had it all our way in recent weeks in terms of our performance levels and attempts on goal.
“This is a different level, really. It will have a big-game feel in that we just need to keep winning. It doesn't matter who it is, we'll set out to absolutely go for it from the outset.
“We need to go after Bolton and they will probably want to go after us. Last time we sort of cancelled each other out because we've got similar points, similar team of ability.
“It was a really close match last time and it will probably be a really close match this time too.
“Both teams have been defensively reasonably solid in recent weeks and I just think in those magic moments, you just need your best players to stand up. There may not be many moments, but we just have to take them.”
Team news:
Wanderers will have new arrival Shola Shoretire available after completing a loan deal for the Manchester United youngster.
However, striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is set to miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury as he joins Jack Iredale on the sidelines.
Defender Gethin Jones could return to the squad for the first time since the turn of the year following a knee injury.
Derby will have loan signing Tony Springett in their squad after making the Norwich City winger, 20, their first arrival of the January transfer window.
Rams’ defender Eiran Cashin may be fit after coming off with a slight knock in County’s 3-2 win at Cheltenham Town last week but centre-back James Chester remains out with a recurrence of a calf problem.
Form guide:
Both sides are bang in form and sit locked together in the table with 44 points each.
County’s marginally superior goal difference allows them to occupy fourth place – one ahead of Wanderers – and the sides couldn’t be separated in a 0-0 draw at the University of Bolton Stadium two days after Christmas.
Bar a penalty shoot-out loss to Liverpool in the EFL Cup, Derby are unbeaten since October and have won four of their last five league games wrapped around an FA Cup success against Barnsley.
The Whites are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions and have lost just one of their last 14 fixtures.
Their clean sheet in last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Portsmouth was a seventh shut-out in eight games for Ian Evatt’s men.
Officials:
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Assistant referees: Matthew Mcgrath and Matthew Smith
Fourth official: Declan Bourne
Kick-off: Saturday 3pm
Coverage:
Live streaming will be available to overseas viewers via iFollow with UK subscribers able to purchase an audio pass for full match commentary. Details HERE
Travel information:
Fans are advised that parking is available through Derby’s official off-site parking partner, with details available HERE