Pride Park Defeat Still Hurts Sam!

"And it is as bad a result as I have had since I came here.

"We had gone there unbeaten from our four games in the Premier League and with a Carling Cup win over Barnsley and refreshed after an international break - and lost to a wonder goal from Kenny Miller.

"I think Kenny has only scored one more goal for Derby since then, and when you also take into account that was the game when Michael Owen's groin first went, then it was a disappointing night for us all round.

"But we are going into Sunday's game with seven points out of the last nine and with the chance of taking it up to 10 from our last four matches.

"It's a great opportunity for us and we will have to make sure we are ready - and also make sure we don't give Derby County the sort of opportunity we gave Birmingham City in our last home game.

"Jagger (Jewel) will have enjoyed his break away from the game while Stan Ternant has had a lot of success wherever he has been.

"I know now they will be plotting a way out of trouble and we have to make sure it does not start against us on Sunday.

"Derby were resilient at Sunderland a couple of weeks ago and when I watched them against Middlesbrough last week I thought they were on the wrong end of a couple of poor decisions from the referee, yet they were only beaten in the end by a great goal from Tuncay.

"We can expect them to put up a stubborn defence, and in their Geordie lad up front Steve Howard they have someone who can be a handful on his day.

"So we will have to make sure that we adopt a professional approach to the game - and if we do then we should be OK."