Peterborough United know they will have to defend well despite Derby County's poor scoring record, team news, the unusual role of the Rams' goalkeeper and a famous Posh win in this fixture

The Posh forwards have been getting all the media attention during the club’s strong start to the season. Jonson Clarke-Harris is the top scorer in the division with five goals and Jack Marriott (3) is not that far behind.

Right-sided ace Joe Ward has the most League One assists with four, five if you count the penalty he won in last Saturday’s 4-0 rout of Lincoln City.

In contrast Derby have scored just three League One goals in five games despite dominating possession in most of them. The Rams had an astonishing 27 shots on goal in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Fleetwood.

"Derby are a very good footballing side,” McCann insisted. They play in a very expansive way so we will need to be very good defensively on Saturday.

"Every manager will tell you clean sheets are vital if you want to win promotion. You can’t always rely on your forwards no matter how good they are as they have the hardest job in football, scoring goals.”

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Team news:

Grant McCann said his selection for Pride Park has been made easier by the dismal performance by the back-up boys in defeat at Stevenage on Tuesday so expect the same team that beat Lincoln last weekend to start at Derby especially as on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom should return from a slight ankle problem. On-loan Hull City ‘keeper Harvey Cartwright has also revovered from a thigh strain and will probably be on the bench, but Joe Randall’s shoulder injury will keep him on the sidelines again. Kwame Poku can expect to be in the matchday squad following his first appearance of the season at Stevenage. Jack Marriott should be in action against his old club. The 27 year-old scored 17 goals in 86 appearances (only 41 starts) for Derby after moving to Pride Park for £4 million in July 2018. Posh signed him back for nothing three years later.

Posh (expected): Bergstrom: N. Thompson, Edwards, Kent: Ward, Fuchs, Taylor, Burrows: B. Thompson: Marriott, Clarke-Harris.

Derby made 14 summer signings as they rebuilt following relegation from the Championship and the arrival of new owners. Among them were former Posh players winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, centre-back James Chester and goalkeeper Scott Loach. Centre-back Chester hasn’t played yet because of an achilles issue that will keep him out of Saturday’s match. Veteran centre-back Curtis Davies is also currently injured. Louie Sibley staked a claim for a start against Posh with the winning goal against West Brom in an EFL Cup tie on Tuesday. Sibley scored the last-gasp goal that enabled Derby to beat Posh 1-0 in a Championship relegation game at Pride Park in Ferbruary. Posh boss Darren Ferguson quit after the game. James Collins was signed from Cardiff to score goals for Derby, but has yet to net.

Derby (possible): Wildsmith, Forsyth, Cashin, Stearman: Mendez-Laing, Bird, Hourihane, Knight: Barkhuizen, Collins, Sibley.

Formations: Posh will probably match Derby’s 3-4-1-2 formation. Keep an eye out on the innovative role of Derby goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith who often sits himself alongside the Derby defenders to help with the team’s passing out from the back.

Past matches: Posh have never won at Pride Park, but they did claim a famous victory at Derby County’s old Baseball ground in the 1992-93 Division One season. Posh were 2-0 down to two Paul Kitson goals in the opening 25 minutes before Andy Curtis and Tony Philliskirk, direct from a free kick, made it 2-2 at the break. And 20 minutes from time John McGlashan’s cross was headed home by Tony Adcock to complete a stunning comeback win and a league double over the big-spending Rams.

Odds: Posh are 3-1 to win at Derby on Saturday at Sky Bet with the hosts priced at 4/5 and the draw 13/5.