DERBY County go into tomorrow's East Midlands showdown against Nottingham Forest as favourites – but they will be taking nothing for granted.

In past seasons, it has been Forest holding the higher league position ahead of the A52 derby.

This time, the Rams sit 12th and Forest 23rd, with only Coventry City below them in the Championship, but the Rams manager Nigel Clough feels Forest's lowly position makes them even more dangerous opponents.

"I remember a few years ago, when we were down there fighting for points and yet we nicked a 1-0 win through a Rob Hulse goal," said Clough.

"Anybody who underestimates the opposition in the Championship, home or away, will come unstuck.

"Coventry came here a few weeks ago. We were on a great run, they were struggling and it was a close game.

"There is so little between the teams in the division. Ipswich proved that the other night when they scored five against West Ham.

"We know how it feels being down near the bottom and so we know how hard Forest will be fighting.

"I don't think league positions and form make a difference in derby games.

"When you are having a bad run, sometimes you want these sort of games because it can give you a big lift.

"Tomorrow will be as hard as any game. If you play a team at the bottom, second bottom or third bottom they are going to be just as tough as anybody else you play."

The clash is live on television and Clough hopes the viewers get a feel of what the local derby is all about.

"Hopefully, it will give everybody outside the area a taste of the passion involved," said Clough, who when asked where the fixture ranks among derbies around the country, added: "I don't think it will ever be as big in other people's eyes as the Merseyside, Manchester and Glasgow derbies but for the people involved, it is as big in our eyes as the others."

Derby lost their last League game at Barnsley on Tuesday after they had won four and drawn one of the previous five.

Clough believes the first-half display at Oakwell, when they conceded three goals without reply before losing 3-2, was only a blip.

"Everything we have seen in the six months points to it being a one-off," he said.