Fulham face Derby County meet for the second time this season tomorrow night in the third round of the League Cup – with the Rams under new management after the sacking of popular boss Jim Smith over the weekend. Smith’s side defended stoutly at Craven Cottage to earn a point after a dour goalless draw, but the club’s board ended his six-year tenure at Pride Park after just one win in seven league games.
Smith declined Derby’s offer of the director of football position and the Rams have appointed Todd, who arrived at the club as assistant to Smith last summer, as their new permanent manager. The League Cup will come as a useful distraction from Derby’s precarious league position – they are second bottom in the table – and they need to sell several star players due to their £20m debt. Todd, who twice won the First Division title with Derby in the eighties, is expected to ring the changes at Craven Cottage by offering some fringe players game time as he plots a route towards survival.
Jean Tigana is also posed to rotate his squad as Fulham focus on trying to stay out of the relegation scrap having won promotion to the top flight for the first time in 38 years. The Whites have struggled to match last season’s sensational goalscoring exploits, but they have tightened up at the other end of the field – registering three clean sheets in seven league contests. Tigana’s side beat Derby 3-2 at the fourth round stage last season before bowing out in the last eight after taking Liverpool to extra time.
The Frenchman’s priority will be Sunday’s televised trip to Aston Villa – and Fulham are likely to field a much-changed squad for this intriguing all-Premiership clash.
MY FULHAM XI (4-3-3): Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Knight; Davis, J. Collins, Clark; Goldbaek, Marlet, Hayles. Subs (not used): van der Sar, Symons, Legwinski, Malbranque, Saha.
