WILL Hughes returns to the Derby County squad for Saturday's Championship encounter with Middlesbrough (3pm).
But the England Under-21 international has to settle for a place on the bench at the Riverside Stadium as head coach Steve McClaren names an unchanged starting line-up on his first return to his old club.
Hughes, who has missed the past two matches with a hip injury, replaces fellow midfielder James Bailey as one of the seven substitutes.
Jamie Ward (hamstring) and Simon Dawkins (groin) remain sidelined.
"It is credit to the three who are in midfield at the moment that the head coach has decided to stick with them, because they have done the job properly and it would be unfair on them to leave them out," said Rams coach Paul Simpson.
"So, hopefully, they will carry on where they left of, show the same level of performance and result and it will be a nice easy decision for Tuesday (at Blackpool).
"We want them to go out and enjoy it today but, at the same time, work hard and earn the right to play in what will be a difficult game – but go and show people that we deserve to be in these places and we can push on even further."
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka makes one enforced change to his side following last weekend's 2-0 win at Brighton, with Chelsea loanee Nathaniel Chalobah replacing the suspended Dean Whitehead in midfield.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Konstantopoulos, Varga, Gibson, Omeruo, Friend, Chalobah, L Williams, Leadbitter, Adomah, Tomlin, Graham. Subs: Steele (gk), Butterfield, Ledesma, Kamara, Main, Atkinson, Kitching.
DERBY COUNTY: Grant, Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Thorne, Bryson, Hendrick, Russell, Bamford, Martin. Subs: Legzdins (gk), Naylor, O'Brien, Whitbread, Eustace, Hughes, Sammon.
REFEREE: A Haines (Tyne & Wear).
