Derby County manager Gary Rowett is expecting a physical encounter when his side welcome Queens Park Rangers to the Pride Park Stadium on Friday evening, reports the club’s official website.

Ian Holloway’s QPR are the form team in the Sky Bet Championship, having lost just once in their last seven fixtures, winning five of those.

Rowett is looking for his first victory as Derby manager, having drawn his first game in-charge against Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Previewing Friday’s clash, Rowett revealed what he is expecting from QPR, and how that might compare to Tuesday’s clash with Fulham, he said: “Queens Park Rangers, in some ways, will be a bit more physical and Ian Holloway has set them up really well with lots of energy.

“They have threats with the likes of Smith, Washington, Sylla and Mackie.

“It is a different type of game to our last one so we might need a different type of approach.

“Fulham will be more possession-based because that’s how they play.”

Rowett’s side are currently tenth in the Championship table, trailing the top-six by nine-points with eight-fixtures of the season remaining.

The Rams have won just once in their last ten fixtures, and haven’t picked up three-points since the victory over Barnsley in early March.

Derby fans… Are you expecting your club to return to winning ways this weekend? Let us know in the comments!