Despite some heart thumping moments against Rotherham on Saturday, Derby secured a vital opening win of the season. Derby will open up their League Cup campaign away at Carlisle in front of the Sky TV cameras.

With two games in more or less 48 hours, Derby will presumably give starts to those who started as substitute on Saturday and rest players who are carrying knocks. Jake Buxton could be rested with Zak Whitbread given a start at right sided centre back.

Hughes is carrying a sore neck from Saturday which may allow Eustace or Mascarell to start while other changes may include Ward and Best.

Derby played some good football on Saturday and their patience eventually paid off. It is often tricky and difficult to play newly promoted teams so the fans and club should be pleased with the win.

Despite a semi final appearance around 5 years ago, Derby's record in the past ten years in this competition is appalling. This is a potential banana skin, hence the Sky cameras being there.

Carlisle's latest signing Stephen Elliott is hoping to make his first start for the club after coming on as a second-half substitute in the opening-day league defeat to Luton. Graham Kavanagh's side will still be without fellow summer signing Troy Archibald-Henville as the defender sits out the second game of a three-match ban carried over from last season.

David Amoo had been nursing an ankle injury before starting against Luton, while veteran and ex Ram Paul Thirlwell, an unused substitute at the weekend, will be hoping to feature.

Hopefully Derby's experience and quality will be too much for a Carlisle side looking to bounce back from their defeat on Saturday. Hopefully the inevitable changes will not cause too much disruption to the flow of play.

With this is mind I am going to go for a Derbyshire win, but with a few 'interesting' moments along the way! An early goal would settle any early nerves.

Enjoy the game!

Current Form:

Carlisle (18th — League 2): Beaten at home 0 — 1 by Luton Town on opening day.

Derby (7th — Championship): Defeated Rotherham 1 — 0 at home on opening day.

Last Time They Met:

The last time Derby battled it out against Carlisle was 24 years ago, also in the League Cup.

It was the 2nd Round of the Cup in 1990 and the Rams triumphed that day; 1 — 0 at The Baseball Ground.

The only goal of the match was scored with less than a minute played by Dean Saunders — a great strike you can see below as our Classic Clash video!

Classic Clash Video: 10th October 1990 :

League Cup 2nd Round — Derby 1 v 0 Carlisle

COYR!!

Photo: Action Images

Derby County Polls