Tom Lawrence remains sidelined as Derby take on Middlesbrough

Derby boss Wayne Rooney will be without Wales international Tom Lawrence for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Middlesbrough.

The striker, who has not played since December 12, has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury, but hopes to return to training next week.

Defender George Edmundson is back in training after hernia surgery, but Saturday’s game will come too soon for him, while frontman Jack Stretton’s recovery from a groin problem is progressing.

Krystian Bielik is out for the remainder of the season with knee ligament damage and fellow defender Curtis Davies is battling an Achilles problem.

Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock could use midfielder Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for the first time after he stepped up training this week.

The 28-year-old has not played since his contract was terminated by Cardiff in September and, while he was named among the substitutes for last weekend’s 4-1 home defeat by Brentford, the manager had no intention of sending him on.

Defender Grant Hall and striker Ashley Fletcher both got 90 minutes under their belts for the club’s under-23s last Sunday as they work their way back from thigh and hamstring injuries respectively.

However, Dael Fry is nursing a calf problem and Marcus Tavernier is sidelined by a knee injury.

 

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