First real chance goes Forest's way.

Cyrus Christie bombs forward down the right and squares a ball across the Derby box for Lyle Taylor to hit right-footed.

David Marshall palms the shot away for a corner that comes to nothing.

Image source, PA Media

Fair to say neither of these sides have set the world alight so far in this Championship campaign coming into this fixture.

Just the one win each from their opening six matches, with Forest a point better off after a midweek home draw against Rotherham United.

Derby's only success so far has come on the road at Norwich, courtesy of a late Wayne Rooney free-kick, while Phillip Cocu's side come into this evening's encounter smarting from 1-0 defeats by Watford and Huddersfield Town in the past seven days.

Tony Harrington the man in charge of this one this evening.

The players take a knee before he blows his whistle and we're off and running...

As is the way in Covid-19 times, the two sides make their way out on to the City Ground pitch from separate entrances.

Forest from the tunnel in the main stand and Derby from the corner by the Trent End.

Not long to go until kick-off now...

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• Forest are unbeaten in their past six games against East Midlands rivals Derby (W3 D3), their best run since a run of seven between 1985 and 1990 under Brian Clough.
• Derby are winless in seven away league visits to Nottingham Forest (D3 L4) since a 1-0 win back in September 2012 with Craig Bryson netting the winner.
• Forest have failed to win any of their past six home league games (D2 L4), since a 1-0 victory versus Bristol City in July.
• None of Derby’s past 13 away league matches have ended level, with the Rams winning six and losing seven.
• Chris Hughton is aiming to become the third consecutive Forest manager to win his first league match against Derby, after Martin O’Neill and Sabri Lamouchi. Prior to this, only one of the past 18 Forest managers (Dougie Freedman in 2015) had won their first league meeting with the Rams.

BBC local radio

You can listen to live commentary of tonight's game on BBC Radio Nottingham and BBC Radio Derby.

Unfortunately rights issues prevent us from streaming live radio commentaries of EFL games on the BBC Sport website and app.

Image source, PA Media

Wayne Rooney remains absent for Derby - the former England captain is self-isolating after coming into contact with a friend who later tested positive for Covid-19.

Rooney tested negative for coronavirus earlier this week.

Image source, Rex Features

Nottingham Forest manager Chris Hughton has made two changes from the side which drew 1-1 against Rotherham on Tuesday.

Harry Arter comes in for Jack Colback in the midfield while Lyle Taylor starts up front alongside Lewis Grabban as Luke Freeman drops to the bench.

On loan Anthony Knockaert is also among the Forest substitutes.

Derby County make the one change from defeat by Huddersfield on Tuesday.

Striker Martyn Waghorn returns to lead the line with Max Bird dropping to the bench. The Rams also welcome back highly-rated attacking midfielder Louie Sibley on the bench following a muscle injury which has ruled him out of the past three games.

Forest: Samba; Christe, Ioannou, Figueiredo, McKenna, Yates, Arter, Lolley, Ameobi, Taylor, Grabban.

Subs: Smith, Mbe Soh, Freeman, Jenkinson, Mighten, Sow, Knockaert.

Derby: Marshall; Wisdom, Clarke, Davies, Knight, Shinnie, Byrne, Buchanan, Jozwiak, Lawrence, Waghorn.

Subs: Roos, Forsyth, Te Weirik, Bird, Kazim-Richards, Sibley, Holmes.

These two famous old clubs have struggled for form in the early weeks of the Championship season.

Forest lost their first four league games, leading to the dismissal of head coach Sabri Lamouchi, but have picked up four points from their two matches since the appointment of Chris Hughton.

Derby's only league victory to date this season came courtesy of a superb Wayne Rooney free-kick at Norwich earlier this month, but the other five league games played by Phillip Cocu's side this term have ended in defeat.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Rex Features

Forest and Derby - two clubs separated by just 17 miles but joined together by decades of rivalry and history.

The East Midlands neighbours renew their acquaintances this evening by the banks of the River Trent with both desperate to secure the three points that will not only mean local bragging rights, but a chance to finally kick-start their faltering campaigns.

It's also the fixture that launches another busy weekend of EFL action between now and Sunday and it kicks off at the City Ground in the next 15 minutes.