Derby County’s correspondent for The Athletic Ryan Conway has provided a string of key injury updates.

Derby have a plethora of injuries to their team that have affected Philip Cocu’s team selections throughout the season; the Dutchman hasn’t selected the same starting XI for more than three games in a row so far this campaign.

Jayden Bogle, George Evans, Andre Wisdom, Craig Forsyth, Duane Holmes, Jack Marriott, Scott Malone, Tom Huddlestone, Gaeme Shinnie and Mason Bennett have all had suffered blows that have kept them out of different moments this season.

Whilst the former seven have all now returned from injury, the same can’t be said for the latter three who are all still out.

Tom Huddlestone has been out for the longest amount of time after picking up an injury against Barnsley amid a 2-2 draw at Oakwell at the beginning of October.

His injury paved the way for Shinnie to get his chance in the black and white of Derby; he made his debut in the game after Huddlestone’s injury in a 2-0 win over Luton Town. The Scostsman, though, recently picked up an injury in the Rams’ east Midland’s derby defeat to Nottingham Forest earlier in the month.

Bennett returned to the side and started his first match since August in the side's last match at Pride Park against high-flyers Preston North End. He managed just under half-an-hour before having to be withdrawn through injury.

Conway took to Twitter to answer questions supporters had on the latest news of their extensive, on-going injury concerns.

First, he answered concerns surrounding veteran Huddlestone.

Then, he updated another worried fan who asked about both Shinnie and Bennett.

The verdict

Derby supporters should be most concerned about the length of injury to Shinnie. The Scotsman brought a breath of fresh air on his arrival to Pride Park and that has been missed ever since.

He can get from box to box quicker than Krystian Bielik or Evans who are both very similar players to have playing with one another in the centre of the park. Shinnie gives Derby something different: a gritty and aggressive desire that, without him in the team, they lack severely.

Bennett is less important with the arrival of Wayne Rooney imminent. Derby can live without Huddlestone too, given the plethora of sitting midfielders they have at their disposal; they own the likes of Bielik, Evans and the young Max Bird who can fulfil that position.