Wigan is likely to be a tricky game. They have underperformed so far this season and on e in their stride they should be challenging for the top six.
They are a side that has proved that you can be a smaller club and flirt with the higher echelons of the league. Of course this was helped by the millions of Dave Whelan, but it still required good managerial skills to steer them there.
They hit the big time a few years ago when Paul Jewell took them to the top tier. Jewell kept them there against the odds. He has though failed to repeat his Wigan success. Two awful spells in charge of the Rams and Ipswich has devalued his stock as a manager.
Roberto Martinez did a similar job before they were finally sent back down to the championship last season.
As a young schoolboy, Wigan Athletic were a name from the non league circles. They were competing in the Northern Premier. It was during the days of when the bottom four clubs in the fourth tier had to apply to be re-elected in to the league, that Wigan replaced Southport. Their rise has been impressive.
Derby hope to see the return of several players from the treatment room. Johnny Russell has already played since recovering and Jeff Hendrick, Mark O'Brien, James Bailey and Adam Legzdins are also set to return. Kalifa Cisse is back in contention after suffering with an infected toe.
Although I'd suggest that an unchanged side is likely, you can't beat a bit of competition about the club.
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