Jon Stead looks set to return to the Town starting line-up for the first time since mid-September as the Blues look to end their 14-match winless run when Derby County visit Portman Road on Saturday. The game sees boss Roy Keane face his former Nottingham Forest team-mate Nigel Clough for the first time as a manager.

Stead netted Town’s goal and impressed after coming off the bench at Plymouth last week having scored twice for the reserves earlier in the week. Keane seems likely to recall the 26-year-old to his starting line-up with the Blues having been unable to take their chances in recent weeks.

The former Derby loanee is likely to partner Jon Walters with Pablo Couñago dropping to the bench alongside Tamás Priskin, who the Town boss has said could play some role.

Keane seems unlikely to make too many changes to his team with the Blues without a defeat in three games and having come close to grabbing that vital win on a number of occasions.

Asmir Begovic is set to continue in goal, David Wright at left-back and Liam Rosenior on the right. Gareth McAuley misses out with the thigh injury he sustained at Plymouth with Alex Bruce likely to replace him alongside Tommy Smith at the centre of the defence.

In midfield Carlos Edwards will continue on the right with Grant Leadbitter in the centre. Liam Trotter may come back in for Jack Colback in the centre, while Alan Quinn and Lee Martin will be hoping to get the nod ahead of Jaime Peters on the left.

Town are still without midfield duo Luciano Civelli and David Norris (knee ligaments, back December), while striker Connor Wickham is away with the England U17s.

Keane says his side really should have secured their first victory by now: “We’ll be going all out to win the game. I think we’ve been very close over the last three or four weeks. We should have at least two or three victories under our belts by now, but we haven’t.

“The longer you go without a win, the more questions you’re going to face and the more pressure. But that’s football.

“I’ve been saying for the last few weeks that I think the players have been dealing with it very well. They’re playing with great freedom and confidence. When you consider where we are, that’s unusual.

“We’re not happy, eight points out of 14 games is unacceptable, we should be doing better, but over the course of the season I still think we’re going to have a good season. Obviously we’ve had a poor start, a very poor start, but we’ve another opportunity to get that victory, although it won’t be easy.”

Derby boss Nigel Clough has a lengthy injury list including long-term absentees Chris Porter (hip) and Giles Barnes (achilles). Miles Addison is out with a foot problem, Kris Commons has a hamstring injury, Paul Green, also a foot problem, Jay McEveley a broken cheekbone, Ben Pringle a knee injury and Mark O'Brien is also currently sidelined.

Steven Davies and Stephen Pearson returned in last week’s 4-2 defeat to Queens Park Rangers but Davies is a slight doubt with a tight hamstring. Dean Leacock (mumps) and Jake Buxton (groin) are also considered doubts, but Fredrik Stoor has extended his loan from Fulham.

Clough says the injury problems have had a major effect on his club’s season, particularly at the back where he has fielded six different centre-half combinations: "Not being able to field a settle side has not helped. Shaun Barker and Dean Leacock, we said from early on that we wanted those two in there.

"When you looked up the pitch in Saturday's game against Queens Park Rangers we had Stephen Bywater, Shaun Barker and Robbie Savage — three solid units.

"But centre-halves need somebody alongside them, as midfielders do. It is not ideal when you are chopping and changing every week but we have had no choice because of the injuries. We would like to have the option to make changes through choice!

"We left Lee Croft out at Middlesbrough to go more solid across midfield but he was on after 20 minutes because Jay McEveley broke his cheekbone. You don't know but if Jay had stayed on it might have been a different result."

Derby are currently six points better off than Town in 19th with an away record of won none, drawn two and lost five.

Historically, Town have had the better of the Rams, winning 27 games (25 in the league), drawing 18 (16) and losing 22 (21).

Last season, Town doubled Saturday’s visitors, goals from Pablo Couñago and Jon Walters securing a 2-0 win at home and another Walters strike bringing a 1-0 win at Pride Park later in the season. The Portman Road win, on November 22nd last year, was Town’s last home league win on a Saturday.

Town striker Jon Stead had a spell on loan at Pride Park during his time as a Sunderland player with the Rams also making an enquiry regarding his availability in the last couple of weeks.

Kevin Lisbie, on loan at Colchester for the season or at least until January, has also spent time on loan at Pride Park.

Former Town keeper Lewis Price is a current Derby player, but is on loan at Brentford, while Jay McEveley spent time on loan with the Blues in 2005/06 and Stephen Bywater was at Portman Road for a similar spell in 2007/08.

Managers Roy Keane and Nigel Clough were at Nottingham Forest together under the Derby manager’s father, as was Town coach Tony Loughlan.

Saturday’s referee is Anthony Taylor from Greater Manchester, who has shown 25 yellow cards and two red in 13 games so far this season. Taylor’s last Town match was the 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City in April in which he booked Pim Balkestein and visiting defender Jamie McCombe.

Squad from: Begovic, R Wright, D Wright, Rosenior, Delaney, Smith, Bruce, Balkestein, Trotter, Leadbitter, Edwards, Peters, Quinn, Martin, Colback, Healy, Walters, Couñago, Stead, Priskin.

Photo: Action Images

DombeyBlue added 12:55 - Oct 30 Must win game tomorrow. I can't believe we will go into another month without a win! COYB!
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CustardCream added 13:07 - Oct 30 This could be the game that decides Keane's future. Up the Blues!!
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Bluetone added 13:08 - Oct 30 Will Keane manage (not two words you expect to see together) to extend his winless run. No doubt he will be giving it his best shot.
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naa added 13:10 - Oct 30 I can :-(
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harby1 added 13:13 - Oct 30 I know Stead had a good game last week when he came on but i still think its vital we start with Counago at home, he gets us playing football!!
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 13:14 - Oct 30 is that true we havent won a home league game on a saturday since novemeber 22nd of last year!??!?! thats crazy!!!! high time we put that all right tomorrow!!
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UEFA81 added 13:16 - Oct 30 Expect a five goal thriller with Town losing by the odd goal. Hope I'm wrong though. LOL @ Bluetone.
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muhrensleftfoot added 13:21 - Oct 30 I know Stead probably deserves a start after scoring last week, but I just don't rate him. Also, because he's so tall, there's a tendancy to put high balls in, & he's useless in the air. When are we going to see more of Priskin? We've hardly seen him kick a ball in anger yet. I'd have Quinn in Central midfield with Leadbitter, & Garvan wide left - a bit controvertial I know, having a left footed player out on the left!

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naa added 13:23 - Oct 30 Agree harby1. Players with low morale (as ours must have) often look for the easy option and, sadly, the easy option with Stead and Walters up front is to hoof it. We need Counago on the pitch to keep some possession and encourage link up play etc. Stead only ever shoots (regardless of his position or who's in front of him) so his link up play is non-existant and I'm not convinced Walters' is much better in that regard. To be honest, although I rate Walters, in signing Edwards Keane has marginalised him. I really don't rate him as a striker at all. Here's hoping he proves me wrong...

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sirbenofmorlingshire added 13:29 - Oct 30 Big Question: do I put town as a home win in my accumulator??? Just so Roy doesn't feel too bad, I'm also looking for my first win of the season on this front - but I don't think Ladbrokes are wanting to sack me just yet :-)
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SomersetBlue added 13:35 - Oct 30 OnlyOneSirBobby... How you work that one out? Coventry last game of the season, we won 2-1... Magiltons last game in charge, beating Norwich at Home etc....
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Bergholtblue added 13:39 - Oct 30 Wasn't the Norwich and Coventry games played on a Sunday? Onlyonesirbobby said that we haven't won on a Saturday
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Bergholtblue added 13:44 - Oct 30 Just done a quick check and OnlyOneSirBobby appers to be correct. e have not won at home on a Saturday since November 22. That's when we beat Derby 2-0. Her's hoping that lightning strikes twice.
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naa added 13:45 - Oct 30 Hey boys try reading the actual story you are commenting on! Phil points out about the lack of a Saturday win. Onlyonesirbobby merely commented on the fact.
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keanotheenforcer added 14:17 - Oct 30 For me we are a completly different side depending on which strikers we play-if we play Counago-he links up with the midfield better but I always find that we are lacking a striker in the box to finish off the move as Counago is doing what our midfield should be. We play Stead and all we do is play long balls up to him! Walters has been the one consistent striker and his work rate is immense which merits a starting place but as hard as we works how often is he in the box to finish moves off just like Counago hence why we can not play Counago & Walters together as both are link play strikers rather than out and out goal scorers. My opinion and mine alone would be to drop Walters to the left wing, can he really do any worse there then Martin? or Peters who constantly gets muscled off the ball, Quinn has been ok but surely Walters can be ok if not better in that position with his work rate. My strike pairing would be Counago & Priskin, Counago to link the play and Priskin to add a bit of pace to get behind the defenders and finish moves off but come Saturday 3pm I have no doubt I will be way off!

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Bergholtblue added 14:18 - Oct 30 yep. i stopped reading when i got to the Derby team news
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Plymouthtractorboy added 14:35 - Oct 30 Come on Town. You can do it against Derby. 3 points coming our way.
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bleedblue added 14:51 - Oct 30 The amount of times I have written this.... We have to start with Counago!! He is the best player we have and as everyone states, he gets us playing good football! I must admit I favour the Walters down the left comment with Counago and Priskin up front...! Give it a go Keano!
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Back_The_Boss added 14:56 - Oct 30 COYB!! onlyonesirbooby - We beat Coventry at home last game of the season!
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naa added 14:57 - Oct 30 Yep, Walters left sounds good to me. By all accounts Priskin likes balls through the middle, so hopefully he could link up with Counago in that way. Keane hasn't given that paring a go I don't think (probably considers them too lightweight together) an dI reckon it's worth a go. Only then is that Keane bought Edwards specifically to get crosses into the box - yet he neglected to buy a striker who thrived on that kind of service. D'oh!.

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naa added 14:58 - Oct 30 kingkeano, please keep up. And read a) the story you are commenting on or b) several other comments on this board! - Coventry was on Sunday. - onlyonesirbobby didn't make the claim, if you actually read his comment you'll see that. Blimey!
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superblueflude added 15:00 - Oct 30 Naa - my pal what you predicting tommorow mate im gonna go for a 2-1 stead leadbitter goals.
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naa added 15:07 - Oct 30 Glad you consider us pals, considering everything! Well, I'd love us to win and think we can - but I've thought that a lot this season. With Walters and Stead up front I remain unconvinced and can see another draw. Sorry. However, Stead may play a blinder (he does occasionally show class). A win by the odd goal is certainly do-able.
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superblueflude added 15:11 - Oct 30 Of course - we've never really had major disagreements just different ways of looking at things lol. we both agree walters is class but not upfront, id go for counago and stead up top, edwards left waltes right - what do you think?
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runaround added 15:18 - Oct 30 will be interesting what line-up Keano goes for tomorrow. Just when you think you know what team he will pick he springs a surprise! Failure to get at least 4 points from the Derby and Reading games doesnt bear thinking about. C.O.Y.B!!
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