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If the rumours are true that Billy Davies has two matches to save his job in the Derby hotseat, the visit of Chelsea is hardly the ideal game for him at this time. Chelsea have won four of the seven Premier League matches under Avram Grant, whilst Derby sit rock bottom in the Premiership.
Chelsea have won their last three away travels whilst Derby haven't won in in three.
Michael Ballack (ankle), Ricardo Carvalho (back) and Paulo Ferreira (heel) all remain sidelined while Petr Cech continues to struggle with a calf strain.
Derby's cause is not helped by the absence of Claude Davis (groin) and Andy Todd (back).
Davies' side have conceded 31 goals in their 13 Premier League matches and have failed to find the net in all seven of their away matches, hardly the ideal preparation for the visit of Chelsea to Pride Park.
Kenny Miller is also fit alongside Leacock and Claude Davis, however, Chelsea could be boosted with the return of Ashley Cole and John Terry.
Davies: we must give it a go
"The game is a huge task against a multi-million pound side with lots of top players.
"But we are in the Premier League and we've got to look forward to these games and hopefully we can put on a good performance on the day and compete as well as we can."
"This weekend is different as we will have most of our players back in."
Grant: international break
"The international break for a team like Chelsea is always not good, because we are missing all our players, apart from one or two.
"But we have a game Saturday and we really want to win.
"The players are professional. I like sensitive players - but only until the game starts. Life goes on."
Squads
Derby (from): Bywater, Mears, Davis, Moore, McEveley, Griffin, Leacock, Barnes, Oakley, Pearson, Lewis, Fagan, Howard, Miller, Teale, Earnshaw, Lewis, Jones.
Chelsea (from): Cudicini, Hilario, Cech, Belletti, A Cole, Alex, Ben-Haim, Bridge, J Cole, Lampard, Essien, Sidwell, Kalou, Malouda, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Obi, Pizarro, Makelele.
Eyefootball Premiership Predictor
Derby 0-3 Chelsea
It's going to be backs to the wall for Derby as Chelsea look to enter the top three. Avram Grant has got this side playing superb football, and the Premiership's worst defence is never going to shut out Drogba et al.
Score: 3-0 to Chelsea
Goalscorer: Didier Drogba
Written by majicka
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