Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall believes that Lewis Grabban can have a decisive impact against Derby County this weekend.

The east Midlands rivals meet at the City Ground on Saturday lunchtime and there is much more than bragging rights on the line.

Forest know they can close the gap on the top two with maximum points whilst a first win for Derby on enemy territory since 2012 will lift them to within a point of the play-offs.

So, it promises to be a tight encounter and Worrall told Nottinghamshire Live that having a player like Grabban in the XI can be crucial in these sort of games.

"He doesn't often miss two chances in a row. You back him to score. I often say to him 'you'll get one today' and he's done that. He's got six goals this season and he's a top player.

"He doesn't affect the game massively but when he's in the box you fancy him to get on the end of something."

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A goal in the 2-1 win over Luton last time out took Grabban to six in 14 Championship games this season.

The verdict

The striker is sure to appreciate this support from his teammate and you can totally understand what Worrall is saying.

We all know the importance of having a goalscorer in this league and Grabban has shown already this season that he can make a significant contribution to the Reds promotion push.

Now, he will want to prove the centre-back right this weekend and scoring the winner against Derby will make the ex-Bournemouth man a hero to the Forest fans.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.