Ben Watson has labelled the clash between Nottingham Forest and Derby County as the biggest derby match he has ever played in.

The two sides have one of the fiercest rivalries in the country - not only because of the close proximity between the two clubs, but because of times going back to the Brian Clough days.

This weekend, they will compete for the Brian Clough Trophy for the second time this season, with Forest coming out on top in a 3-0 Carabao Cup win over their bitter rivals in August.

Forest have gone from strength to strength since their previous victory over Derby, with Sabri Lamouchi's side sitting fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table.

Watson has been a mainstay for Lamouchi's side in the Championship this season, featuring in every single league game thus far.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, via Notts TV's Jake Brigstock on Twitter, Watson labelled the clash as the "biggest" derby match he has played in.

He said: "I think it's the biggest one that I've played in. It's a rivalry that - before I signed here - I never knew about, I wasn't too sure that it was as big as people said.

"But having played in it and been in and around the city and the club, it is huge and it will be a good day."

Forest go into this weekend's clash at the City Ground after picking up a 2-1 win against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road last weekend.

The Verdict

The East Midlands derby is massive - it's a rivalry that goes back many, many years and the two clubs are massive and historic.

Forest have gotten the better over their arch rivals in recent years, and I expect them to do the same in front of their fans on Saturday.

Their squad, in my view, is much better than Derby's on paper, and the Rams are far too inconsistent for my liking.