Team news

McEveley set for return Jay McEveley will make a dramatic return to the Derby squad for Coventry's visit to Pride Park less than three weeks after suffering a fractured cheekbone.

Even more remarkably, the defender is back in contention after his heart stopped for two minutes during the operation to correct the facial injury he sustained in the league defeat at Middlesbrough on October 20.

McEveley will wear a protective mask but the 24-year-old insists he will not be holding back in any challenges.

"I can't play without being 100% committed to every challenge. If I'm lucky enough to play and there's a ball to be won, I'll stick my head in there without a moments hesitation," he said. "The mask helps massively, it is very solid. It would have to be some blow for me to suffer any more damage." The left-back is one of a quartet of players the injury-hit Rams could have available again along with fellow defender Dean Leacock, midfielder Paul Green and striker Rob Hulse.

Leacock and Hulse have trained this week after missing the defeat at Ipswich with mumps and a stomach bug respectively while a late decision will be made on Green's involvement following his lengthy absence with a broken metatarsal.

New signing Leon Barnett could be handed his Coventry debut.

Centre-back Barnett has penned a three-month loan deal from West Brom and could be thrown straight into the mix against a Rams side who have lost eight of their last 11 games.

Captain Stephen Wright missed last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Reading due to flu and has still been struggling this week while fellow central defender Ben Turner had to have an injection in his knee in order to line up at the Ricoh Arena but has also missed some training sessions in recent days.

Both are touch and go for the trip to Pride Park while goalkeeper Keiren Westwood remains a major doubt with the back problem that forced him off against West Brom proving more troublesome than first expected.

Left-back Marcus Hall has returned to training after the death of his father but whether he features remains to be seen.

James McPake and David Bell are both looking for vital match practice following their recent returns from injury while midfielder Sammy Clingan (broken toe) remains on the sidelines.

Derby vs Coventry

Last modified 22:32 06/11/09

Hulse at the double for Rams Rob Hulse marked his return to Derby's starting line-up by scoring twice as Nigel Clough's men ended a three-match losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Coventry at Pride Park.

The big striker, who missed last weekend's defeat at Ipswich through illness, struck twice after the break to usurp the first-half lead given to Coventry by Leon Best.

Hulse could have had a hat-trick but his late penalty was well saved by Dimi Konstantopoulos.

Coventry finished the game with 10 men after Jordan Clarke was sent off just after the hour mark.

Having conceded a goal only 28 seconds into their home defeat to Reading last weekend, Coventry turned the tables at Pride Park by taking the lead within five minutes.

Freddy Eastwood's left-wing cross was headed goalwards by Best. With players in front of him, Rams keeper Stephen Bywater opted to punch the ball but his clearance went straight back to Best who fired a volley into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

Derby responded well to the early setback and created two chances in as many minutes.

Coventry failed to clear Gary Teale's ninth-minute corner and the ball fell to Dean Leacock, whose shot looked like it would nestle in the bottom right-hand corner before it was deflected wide by Best on the six-yard line.

Hulse's turn and shot then skidded narrowly past the same post.

Derby felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Teale's far-post corner was headed across goal by Leacock to fellow centre-half Shaun Barker, who was upended by Elliott Ward's sliding tackle as he shaped to shoot.

There was an off-the-ball tussle between fiery Derby striker Paul Dickov and Coventry's debutant defender Leon Barnett in the 34th minute. The incident resulted in both players receiving a yellow card.

Dickov then spurned a gilt-edged chance to equalise in the last of five added minutes at the end of the first half.

Stephen Pearson surged into the box and sent a low ball across the face of goal. Dickov looked certain to score as he arrived on the six-yard line but the on-loan Leicester player somehow blasted his shot over the crossbar.

However, the diminutive Scot made amends after the break providing the assists for both of Hulse's goals.

His diagonal cross into the box four minutes after the restart was brilliantly cushioned on the chest by Hulse who then flicked the falling ball beyond Konstantopoulos.

Dickov then retrieved Pearson's cross to tee up his strike partner for a crisp first-time finish after 62 minutes.

In between, Teale sent a dangerous shot across the face of Coventry's goal after backing Clarke into the box.

It would be Clarke's final contribution as he was sent off a minute after Derby's second goal after receiving a second yellow card for bringing down Robbie Savage.

The defender had been booked in the first half for mis-timing a challenge on Dean Moxey.

Derby had the opportunity to ensure all three points with 10 minutes remaining when Chris Hussey, realising he was unable to intercept Teale's cross, nudged Lee Croft in the back leaving the referee with no choice but to award a penalty.