Derby County will be without Lee Buchanan once again when the Rams face Salford City in the Carabao Cup - but he will be able to bring Jack Stretton back into the squad to add to his striking options.

He will be considered for selection along with Tom Lawrence, who picked up an eye injury against Huddersfield Town at the weekend but has been fit enough to train with the squad.

Wayne Rooney is down to the bare bones right now but he was given somewhat of a lifeline when he was able to sign up four players this weekend - Curtis Davies, Richard Stearman, Ryan Allsop and Ravel Morrison.

Derby's bench however was full of youngsters due to their current situation, and it hasn't helped when the likes of Jason Knight and Krystian Bielik are sidelined with injuries.

They won't be back for a good few months, however one player who will be back soon is Buchanan - just not quite yet.

"Lee won't be involved, he is still recovering," Rooney said of the left-back (via the Derby Telegraph), who has been nursing a thigh issue.

 

 

 

 

"He will be touch and go for next Saturday. We are hoping he is ready for Saturday but will have to wait and see what the next couple of days brings."

Rooney also confirmed that Stretton will get some minutes on the pitch against Salford, with the 19-year-old the only other striker option at the club along with Colin Kazim-Richards.

The Verdict

Whilst a lot of Championship clubs will be able to rotate their squads if they need to for their first round League Cup encounters, Derby do not have that luxury unless they want to play a youth team.

It will mean three matches in the space of eight days for Rooney's squad and by the time the Peterborough match comes around on Saturday, there could be some early season tiredness setting in.

Salford will be very much up for the match as well but even though squad numbers are limited, Rooney's strongest line-up right now should be classy enough to put the Ammies away at Pride Park.