Derby v West Brom predicted XI: With Mikey Johnston update and centre-back call

There is lots of, mostly welcome, food for thought for the baggies head coach to contend with.

Albion look to build on a very encouraging start to the Championship season with 10 points recorded from a possible 15 - but Morrison is more wary than most about getting carried away.

Winger Mikey Johnston remains Albion’s only senior injury absentee.

The head coach made four changes for Saturday’s 1-0 over Watford and it will be interesting to see how he approaches the Pride Park clash, at a ground where Albion struggle.

Central defence, central midfield and up front are some of the debates Morrison has.

The defence had picked itself in the early weeks of the season, but Chris Mepham replaced Nat Phillips on Saturday and was excellent in helping secure that first clean sheet.

Mepham did all he could and deserves to stay in - but I have a niggling feeling Morrison will return to Phillips.

The head coach said on Tuesday: “He’s an experienced player at this level and has been here a season now and fits in really well.

“I just felt it was the right time for him, really. You could argue maybe George (Campbell) needed a rest, but I thought connection with Meps and George was the right thing and winning makes it the right one!

“I believe in the squad and group. That’s the type of manager I’ll be - it might not go the right way but I trust the players and want them to feel that.”

Elsewhere Aune Heggebo made a welcome return to illness in the 4-4-2 and Albion looked good for it, but Morrison is wary the striker is still not at 100 per cent.

He added: “He’s been ill for quite a while. We were trying to get to the bottom of why he didn’t recover as we wanted to.

“You could see on Saturday. Usually he’s 90 minutes - ‘bang, bang, bang’ - but he was cramping up after 70. If he was fit he scores that (second half) chance. You saw when he got up his calves cramped. We have to manage him, he’s important.”

I can see Heggebo being offered a breather with the energy of Felix Horn Myhre preferred. The latter will be an extra pair of legs in midfield areas where the visitors will want to win the battle. They must ensure Jimmy-Jay Morgan does not become isolated - where wide players Isaac Price and Harry Whitwell play a huge role.

New midfield addition Toby Collyer has not yet played a minute and is knocking on the door, but I can’t see beyond a Jayson Molumby recall alongside Ousmane Diakite.

See Albion correspondent Lewis Cox’s predicted line-up below.

4-4-1-1:

Max O’Leary

Nolan Galves

Nat Phillips

George Campbell

Callum Styles

Harry Whitwell

Jayson Molumby

Ousmane Diakite

Isaac Price

Felix Horn Myhre

Jimmy-Jay Morgan

Substitutes: Ingram (gk), Townsend, Mepham, Pereira, Collyer, Nzingoula, Tunde, Stewart, Heggebo