Could there be a better way to bounce back from the disappointment of the home defeat to Ipswich Town than by winning at Derby County?

No Huddersfield Town side has managed that feat since 1957, when Bill Shankly was in the dug-out and Denis Law and Ray Wilson on the pitch.

All three went on to bigger and better things, and Town fans are hoping for a bright future under David Wagner.

The trip to the iPro Stadium provides a great chance to gauge where Town are at in comparison to the Championship’s big hitters, and in most cases, big spenders, an area in which Derby haven’t held back.

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And it’s also an opportunity for Wagner’s side to make a statement about where full-throttle football has taken them so far.

There have been seven wins under Wagner, with Birmingham City, sixth going into the December clash at St Andrew’s, the highest-ranked scalp to date.

Derby, complete with £5m former Town midfielder Jacob Butterfield, haven’t been out of the top five since winning 2-1 at the John Smith’s in September, when George Thorne sealed victory after Harry Bunn cancelled out Chris Martin’s opener.

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However it’s hardly been plain sailing for the Rams, who were at the summit after beating Fulham on Boxing Day but parted company with boss Paul Clement on February 8 after just eight months in charge.

Derby had gone seven league games without a win, and chairman Mel Morris said the club had not made enough progress under the former Chelsea and Real Madrid assistant manager.

Darren Wassall, the club’s academy director and a former player, stepped up and has taken six out of the 12 points available.

Derby County head coach Darren Wassall during the Sky Bet Championship match at the iPro Stadium, Derby.

Successive wins over Brentford and Blackburn Rovers appeared to have got the Rams back on track.

But Wassall’s side came out second-best at Wolves last Saturday, losing 2-1 as Town went down 1-0 at home to Ipswich Town.

Fifth-placed Derby, desperate to regain Premier League status after splashing the cash on the likes of Butterfield, Norwich City midfielder Bradley Johnson, Reading striker Nick Blackman and Burnley centre-back Jason Shackell, need three points to stay in touch with the top two, 17th-placed Town to keep a cushion between themselves and the drop zone, so there’s no shortage of incentive.