2 Derby County team dilemmas facing Wayne Rooney ahead of Luton Town clash

With Reading extending the gap to eight points between themselves and Derby County in the battle for Championship survival, the Rams need to start picking up points again. 

Showing the fight and quality to be in with a shout of surviving the second-tier drop, a lot of credit has to go to Wayne Rooney. 

However, they are in a position where they have a genuine opportunity to ensure their Championship status for another year, after their 21 point deduction. 

They do find themselves with a very difficult clash ahead of them this afternoon, with Luton Town currently chasing down a play-off spot. 

Here, we take a look at two team dilemmas Rooney has ahead of him today…

Two up front? 

Finding themselves 2-0 down against Millwall at half time during the week, Rooney opted to make a double substitution that saw the youthful duo of Festy Ebosele and Louie Sibley come off, with Ravel Morrison and Colin Kazim-Richards-Richards entering the fray. 

Rooney admitted to Derbyshire Live after the game that the changes were purely tactical, with the latter coming on as the former Manchester United man felt like two players were needed up front to impose themselves on the Millwall defence. 

It will be interesting to see if Rooney selects two strikers for today’s clash, as they certainly upped it a gear in the second half. 

Will Eiran Cashin continue in the starting XI? 

20-year-old centre-back Eiran Cashin has partnered Curtis Davies in Derby’s last two Championship outings, with the young defender showing excellent maturity and ability. 

It will be interesting to see if Rooney does hand Cashin another start, with Luton tending to go more direct than they have done in recent years. 

For this reason, Richard Stearman could come back into