Derby County’s Under-21s will return to Premier League Cup action when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Monday night.
The Under-21s will take on the Hoops at the Powerday Stadium (7pm kick-off) and dcfc.co.uk has brought together all the key information you will need to know ahead of the game.
Premier League Cup Format...
Mirroring the format of the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League Cup consists of eight four-team groups, with each club playing their opposing teams both home and away.
The Premier League Cup campaign includes Academies from Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Clubs in the third and fourth categories have been competing in qualifiers to join the top-level Academies in the group stage.
Derby County are in Group B alongside Brighton & Hove Albion, AFC Bournemouth and Queens Park Rangers and the full fixture list can be found here.
Team News...
Defender Max Bardell could feature for the Under-21s to increase his match minutes after coming off the bench for the first-team in their Emirates FA Cup First Round replay win over Torquay United earlier this month. Bardell’s outing off the bench saw him record his first minutes of the season following a hamstring problem sustained towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign and he also played 30 minutes in the Under-21s' 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last week.
Defender Will Grewal-Pollard, midfielder Connor Dixon and forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton have all been sidelined in recent weeks owing to injury and are unlikely to feature once again.
Midfielder Darren Robinson, who has dipped between the first team and Under-21s squad this term, has been out since October with an ankle injury.
2022/23 Premier League Cup So Far...
Derby County’s Under-21s have two points to their name from their three Premier League Cup group matches so far this season.
Their group campaign started with a 2-1 loss at AFC Bournemouth in late September, despite taking the lead through defender Harrison Solomon's early goal at the Vitality Stadium.
Pat Lyons' side picked up their first point a few days later as they played out a 1-1 draw with Queens Park Rangers at Loughborough University Stadium with on-loan Chelsea midfielder Joe Haigh scoring late on for the Rams.
Another late goal, this time from Cian Kelly-Caprani, earned the Under-21s a 1-1 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers earlier this month. The Republic of Ireland youth international's goal came in injury time and direct from a corner to secure a point after falling behind late on.
To view the Under-21s' full 2022/23 fixture list, please click here.
Live Stream...
RamsTV is not streaming the game live on Monday night.
Full match highlights from the Premier League Cup clash will appear online on dcfc.co.uk following the match.