Derby County top scorer set for scan as Rams sweat over injury fear

James Collins is set for a scan of an injured knee.

Derby County top scorer James Collins is set to undergo a scan as the club aims to determine the severity of the striker’s knee injury.

The forward went down early in the second half of Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Exeter and needed lengthy treatment following a challenge near the halfway line.

Collins was able to see out the rest of the game as Derby secured a comfortable victory, but the striker’s availability for this weekend is now in doubt. Derby head coach Paul Warne said there is an issue with the striker’s knee but will know more in the next day or so when the results of the scan return.

Losing Collins, who has scored 18 goals this season, would be a major blow for Derby given back-up forwards Martyn Waghorn and Conor Washington are still on the sidelines. But speaking ahead of the Stevenage clash this weekend, Warne says there is still hope Collins could be involved.

“His knee is sore and a bit loose,” he said. “He is having a scan. The worst case is that he is out for the season and I say that is worst case. But he did play on and there is optimism that he could be available for this weekend.

“We will find out from the scan, but he is not in horrific pain. But if there is something that has gone structurally in the knee then you are not always in pain because sometimes it is the nerves that have gone.

“We will know more in the next 24 hours but we are hoping he could be available although that might be me being too optimistic.”

Who would you choose to replace Collins if the striker is injured? Have your say in the comments section.