Derby v West Brom: Paul Warne targeting festive cheer amid tough schedule

Reeling from a late turnaround away at Luton Town on Friday, Warne's men, who currently sit 16th in the Championship table, welcome Albion to Pride Park on Boxing Day for a 5.30pm kick off.

And then it will be the turn of big boys Leeds United to make the trip to Derbyshire for another televised clash on Sunday December 29.

Warne, who won promotion back to the Championship with the Pride Park men last season, knows his side have a difficult schedule ahead of them, as they also face Sheffield Wednesday on New Years Day.

But he is hopeful is side won't go through such cruel circumstances as those at Kenilworth Road, as the Hatters equalised on 89 minutes, with Carlton Morris snatching all three points for Rob Edwards' men in injury time.

Warne said: "Christmas is a good time of year and everyone loves coming to Boxing Day games, so hopefully we can put a level of performance in and the game won't be as cruel (as it was at Luton).” 

“It's disappointing, obviously, but we'll see the lads in about 10 hours' time and we'll go again. I was pleased with how we played at Luton, and I think we got our shape right for the game. It’s just that the end result was disappointment.”

Albion head to Pride Park with a far from pristine record against the Rams, with their last point at Derby coming in 2019, courtesy of a late Kenneth Zohore penalty.

For their last league victory at Pride Park, you have to go back as far as 2003 when a Rob Hulse goal gave Albion a 1-0 victory, early in their 03/04 promotion winning campaign.

Their last league visit to Derby came at Christmas in 2021, when Colin Kazim-Richards gave the Rams a 1-0 victory.