Derby County winger Tom Lawrence has insisted that his side need to silence Nottingham Forest's supporters if they are to prevail at the City Ground on Saturday.

The 25-year-old produced a fantastic performance in last weekend's clash with Middlesbrough as he fired in a brace to help the Rams get back to winning ways in the Championship.

Given that Derby are currently 15th in the second-tier standings, it is imperative that they start to produce the goods on a consistent basis over the coming months if they are to challenge for a top-six finish this season.

Whilst there is no doubting that manager Phillip Cocu has a squad at his disposal which is brimming with talent, it could be argued that the Dutchman has yet to fully adapt to life in the Championship.

Having failed to score against Forest for Derby since joining the club in 2017, Lawrence will be determined to break his duck when the two sides meet this weekend.

Speaking to RamsTV (as cited by the Nottingham Post) ahead of the clash, the Wales international said: "We know how big this game is coming up on Saturday so we will be ready for it.

[freshpress-poll ]

"We know how to quieten them [the Forest supporters] down so that's what we've got to do."

If the Rams beat Forest, they could move up to eighth in the Championship standings depending on the outcome of results elsewhere.

The Verdict

Whilst the Rams will be under no illusion about the threats that Forest will pose this weekend, they could end up securing a positive result on their travels if Lawrence is on top-form.

Capable of producing the spectacular from time to time, the former Manchester United man may prove to be the difference between the two sides at the City Ground.

If the Rams do emerge victorious, they could use the momentum gained from this result to push on in the Championship under the guidance of Cocu.