Saturday's goalless draw against Doncaster Rovers left the Reds hanging on to a top six place with both Reading and Brighton just a point behind.
That means the travelling hordes will make the short journey to Derby in hope rather than expectation of victory against the 3rd-place Rams but Billy Davies and his side have pulled off some superb results away from home this season.
Seven visits to teams currently in the top-half of the table have produced three wins and two draws with the 2-0 victory at Leicester City the pick of the bunch.
In home games against the same teams, meanwhile, Derby have only one three times in nine so with a week to prepare to for the game it is to be hoped that Davies can come up with the plan to foil Steve McClaren and his men.
Monday night's BBC Late Kick Off programme in the Midlands, meanwhile, will feature former Forest star Stan Collymore talking about the game.