Man United vs Derby preview: Meet the high-flying Rams side hoping to inflict FA Cup misery on Jose Mourinho

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Manchester United begin their FA cup campaign on Friday evening with a potentially tricky tie against Championship high-flyers Derby County at Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho's side have already been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by second-tier opposition in the form of Bristol City and will be desperate to side-step another banana skin.

Here's your full lowdown on the match and their opponents on Friday evening.

Derby's players celebrate Matej Vydra's goal in their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on Monday 

Jose Mourinho will be wary of a banana skin when Man United take on the in-form Rams

Why is the match being played on Friday night?

Both the Manchester clubs were drawn at home in the third round, with City against fellow Premier League side Burnley.

Policing issues mean the two clubs can't both play at home on the same afternoon, so one had to budge to another time slot.

With United having played their last game on Monday and City last in action on Tuesday night, it was deemed the Reds would have to shift to ensure fair spacing between fixtures.

Nothing to do with television coverage then?

Nope. Indeed, for the first time since January 2005 - a run of 58 consecutive matches - a United FA Cup tie will not be broadcast live on television.

The Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield is to be shown live on BBC One instead.

United and Derby fans can listen to the game live on the wireless at BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and talkSPORT 2, with kick-off at 8pm.

Sam Winnall celebrates scoring in Derby's recent 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town 

This won't be much fun for the Derby fans...

Indeed. 5,500 Rams fans will make the trip to Old Trafford but the Friday night timing really makes it a logistical nightmare.

There are no direct trains from Derby to Manchester and fans would have to catch the 9.20pm train from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield and then change for Derby - this obviously being well before the end of the match.

Most will, therefore, either stay overnight or travel by road with the club laying on fleets of coaches to help them get to Manchester and back.

There was also a row over United's decision to charge the away fans £45 for their tickets, claiming it was club policy to retain the same prices for cup games as for league ones.

But Derby owner Mel Morris offered Rams season-ticket holders a one-third discount, so that has eased the burden slightly.

Derby fans face a logistical nightmare getting to and from Manchester on a Friday night 

How are Derby getting on this season?

Very well. While it looks like Wolverhampton Wanderers - who currently have a 12-point lead at the summit - will win the Championship title, Derby are currently in second place and on course for automatic promotion.

Derby haven't graced the Premier League since the 2007-08 season but Gary Rowett's team are fancied to return to the elite and they come to Old Trafford in excellent form.

They haven't tasted defeat since the end of November and have lost only twice since mid-September, visiting United off the back of a seven-match unbeaten run.

Given how United came unstuck against Bristol City, losing 2-1 at Ashton Gate in the EFL Cup fifth round last month, Mourinho would be unwise to rotate his team too much.

Derby currently sit second in the Championship table, some 12 points behind Wolves

Matej Vydra celebrates scoring for Derby in October's East Midlands derby with Forest 

Have they met before?

This is their 10th meeting in the FA Cup and they played as recently as January 2016, when Louis van Gaal's United won 3-1 at the iPro Stadium thanks to goals from Wayne Rooney, Daley Blind and Juan Mata.

The odds are stacked against Derby, however, given that United have lost just one of their last 35 Cup games against lower-league opposition at Old Trafford - that was against Leeds United in January 2010.

Meanwhile, Derby have only knocked out an opponent from a higher division once in their last 15 attempts, that coming against West Bromwich last season.

Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring for Man United on their 2016 visit to Derby in the Cup

Juan Mata wrapped up a 3-1 victory for United at the iPro Stadium in that fourth round contest

Who's the manager?

Rowett, 43, succeeded Steve McClaren in March last year, leading them to an eventual position of ninth.

He was a familiar face for many fans as the defender spent three years with Derby during the mid-nineties.

Rowett finished his playing career and started life in management at nearby Burton Albion, guiding them to the League Two play-offs in consecutive seasons but not quite able to get them promoted.

He moved on to Birmingham City in October 2014, successfully guiding them away from the Championship relegation zone to a 10th place finish in 2014-15.

Rowett repeated that position the following season but was unexpectedly sacked in December 2016 despite the Blues sitting seventh in the table.

Gary Rowett, a former Derby player, could well have them on course for the Premier League

How will Derby set up and who are the ones to watch?

Rowett has broadly favoured the balance of a 4-2-3-1 set-up this season though we may see more of a 4-5-1 at Old Trafford to counter United's added attacking threat.

Derby are second only to leaders Wolves in the Championship scoring charts, with 41 goals in their 26 matches so far and they do have a pretty formidable front line.

Yet they don't concede many either and their goals conceded tally of 23 in the league is second only to the 20 let in by Wolves.

It's also a side that boasts experience from front to back and the prospect of visiting United won't faze them in the slightest.

Derby goalkeeper Scott Carson celebrates the crucial Championship win away to Ipswich

Former England international Scott Carson has the gloves, while Curtis Davies and Richard Keogh have proved a rock solid central defensive partnership.

Craig Forsyth typically plays left-back, while Chris Baird, usually a defensive midfielder, has been slotting in at right-back ahead of Andre Wisdom of late.

In midfield, Joe Ledley, signed as a free agent having left Crystal Palace in the summer, is out injured, so Tom Huddlestone will likely partner Bradley Johnson if the latter passes a late fitness test.

Rams centre-back Richard Keogh is also the captain of the team 

Tom Huddlestone on the ball during Derby's recent win over Ipswich at Portman Road

If he doesn't George Thorne could slot in to offer additional defensive cover.

Going forward, Matej Vydra will play the No 10 role having done brilliantly this season to score 15 times in all competitions.

Andreas Weimann can fit in on either side of Vydra, with Johnny Russell also likely to feature.

David Nugent, who has six goals to his credit this season, will lead the line, with Chris Martin and Sam Winnall other options from the bench.

Vydra scored his 15th goal of the season in the New Year's Day draw with Sheffield United

Sam Winnall celebrates after scoring in Derby's 2-1 win at Portman Road last month