 Tuesday, 25th Dec 2007 19:30 Rafa Benitez expects to win this one at a canter. It looks like some of his key players may get a few days off to digest the festive goose or turkey. Derby County v Liverpool That or guard the present Santa left for them given the spate of burglaries the Liverpool team has suffered recently. According to the BBC, Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Fabio Aurelio, Lucas and Jack Hobbs could all be in line for a starting place. That means the part-time fans looking forward to seeing Gerrard, Torres and Carragher may be disappointed. Too bad. Changing the squad around has often been Rafa Benitez' downfall as far as Liverpool are concerned. Good results that might lead to a run that would lead to the Premiership Title are often thrown away with poor results such as the 3-1 drubbing at Reading. Benitez isn't worried however. He said "It is too early to talk about the title or whether we will be in the top four. There are a number of sides who are playing well, so you cannot say who are going to be contenders. My idea is one game at a time and then see if we are in the top four at the end of the season." Notice there's no mention of the Rams the next game up, and it would seem that resting players is in order to be ready for the tough trip to Manchester City looming next Sunday. It would seem that Benitez can take his eye off the ball after all. That's probably my wishful thinking speaking however. We've not had a good result on Boxing Day in the Premiership since we beat Newcastle (can we play you every week) in 1997. Couple that with the facts that Liverpool have already stuck six past us this season and that we've lost four times at home to them, well, wishful thinking is all we have. Current Liverpool Squad Last 5 games Danger Men That said however, the other scorers back in September, Alonso, Voronin and Babel could feature. Thankfully for us Peter Crouch will still be suspended following his laughable attempt at a tackle on Mikel. The Rams Giles probably came of age in the Premiership on Sunday. Playing in the centre midfield, he looked far more composed and able to compete in the game. This was probably his best performance since the play-off final. Paul Jewell was full of praise though not without a few reminders of where he could improve. Rubbishing the Suns story that Barnes is West Ham bound he's quoted on the official site as saying; "I hope he scores a few more goals for us. He's improving all the time but has a long way to go. He's got potential bags of it but has a lot to learn." In some respects, the team on Sunday was Hobson's choice. Injuries have stretched the squad pretty thin and it's probable that Giles would have started out on the wing if Matt Oakley had been fit. If you look at my preview I wouldn't have played Giles at all! It's a good job I'm not the manager. Given that Matt Oakley is still struggling, Barnes and Pearson may start again in the middle. Pearson played very well especially in the second half but it was obvious he was flagging towards the end. He made a cracking run with the ball but ran out of energy. It may be that he's carrying an injury but his lack of Premiership fitness is worrying. Kenny Miller got involved and should probably have scored again on Sunday. We need players to score regularly and it's noticeable that he looks more likely to score when Steve Howard is playing alongside him up front. For that reason alone we should play two up front. It will be tempting for Jewell to play five in midfield but let's face it, trying to defend 0-0 with our defence is a bad idea. Jay McEveley had probably his best game on Sunday and given that Darren Moore may be missing with an injury, why not play him in the centre? He's big enough and he can tackle. What's the alternative? Mick's team: Bywater, Mears, Moore, Leacock, McEveley, Barnes, Pearson, Teale, Fagan, Howard, Miller. What the bookies think Information for travelling fans Parking: It used to be at the old Wilmorten College site however that is now a building site/housing estate, so away fans should park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. Its about 10-15 minutes from the ground. Don't be tempted to park at Pride Park shopping centre unless you fancy being clamped. You can also park for a 5 at the hospital further up London Rd near the hospital and the Railway station. Drinking: There are very few pubs very close to the ground and whether they are open on Boxing is another point, but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite. Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you're not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet. Mick's Prediction I'm a Derby fan born and bred however and my head has nothing to do with it. If it did I'd be laying on the sofa recovering from a Christmas dinner rather than driving 90 miles to watch a certain defeat. Mince pie, sausage roll, come on Derby score a goal! It's the least the fans deserve.
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