SHAUN Barker has handed Derby County a surprise boost on the injury front only days after being ruled out for up to a month.

A scan on his troublesome thigh highlighted a small tear and he faced several weeks on the sidelines.

But the 27-year-old defender has trained in the build up to today's Championship clash against Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium and is set to be in the squad.

Nigel Clough has described the news as the biggest boost of the week.

"Last week we were led to believe Shaun would be out for several weeks but he doesn't feel as bad as first feared," said the manager.

"Sometimes you have to be guided by the player.

"At his age, he knows his body. He has had knocks and strains before and if he feels able to be involved we will certainly involve him."

Barker was Derby's major signing of the summer when he arrived in a £900,000 deal from Blackpool but the centre-half has endured a stop-start beginning to his career with the Rams. His thigh problem has restricted him to only five starts.

Barker and stand-in centre-back Jay McEveley played a big part in keeping a clean sheet in Derby's last game, the 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

But Dean Leacock is also fit and is expected to start at Leicester.

"Dean is back available now," said Clough.

"He had an injection to settle his groin area down and he has trained fully this week and has probably looked the best he has done since coming back from injury.

"The international break has done him good so he will be vying for a start. We saw in the one or two games he did play how competent and comfortable he is. So if he is fit, he will start."

Defenders Paul Connolly and Jake Buxton, and forward Kris Commons also return to the squad after coming through Wednesday's reserve team game.

Young forward Greg Mills is in the squad after being recalled from his loan spell at Solihull Moors.

Derby have yet to win an away game this season. They have collected only one point from 15 on the road and face away matches at Leicester and Middlesbrough in four days.

"It is an opportunity to do something about the away record, definitely, because that is the area at the moment that is keeping us in the bottom half of the league," said Clough.

Leicester have lost only one home game in the past 12 months – against Preston in their last outing at the Walkers Stadium.