Injury crisis for Peterborough United's promotion rivals, Steve Evans on competing against League One 'giants' and ex-Posh man set for full England debut

The Rams are second and still four points clear of those hunting them down for an automatic promotion place, but the pursuers, Bolton Wanderers, Peterborough United and Barnsley, have all played fewer games.

Derby are at home to play-off chasing Blackpool on Good Friday and then travel to leaders Portsmouth for a titanic TV showdown on Tuesday (April 2) and they could be missing 11 senior players including former Posh stars Dwight Gayle and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Gayle is expected to be out for the next three weeks with a muscle injury, while Mendez-Laing, number one for League One assists this season, limped out of the Cobblers game with a hamstring problem. Mendez-Laing is set for a scan, but the club fear he could miss the rest of the season.

Also out of action over Easter will be star midfielder Max Bird, striker Tom Barkhuizen and experienced defender Craig Forsyth. Derby hope top scorer James Collins will return against Blackpool.

Meanwhile former Posh boss Steve Evans insists his Stevenage side deserve to battling for promotion alongside the ‘League One giants.’ Stevenage needed a last-gasp equaliser at rock-bottom Carlisle United to claim a 2-2 draw on Saturday, but they are just a point outside the play-offs. They could do Posh a huge favour on Good Friday as they host third-placed Bolton.

Evans told the BBC: “We are built on spirit and we fight. That's what we do. It's credit to the players that here we are, seven games to go and we're a point outside the play-offs. We're in amongst giants of clubs and we deserve to be there for what we've contributed through the whole season."

Former Posh striker Ivan Toney is set to make his first start for England in a friendly international against Belgium at Wembley on Tuesday.