LIAM Manning says the focus will be on his own Oxford United side as he takes the U’s to the team backed by many to lift the Sky Bet League One title at the end of the season.
Derby County boss Paul Warne has added eight players to his squad this summer, with seven of them at Championship clubs last season.
Experienced campaigners such as ex-Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn, Northern Ireland forward Conor Washington and former U’s skipper Curtis Nelson have all bolstered the Rams.
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Warne himself meanwhile has enjoyed success in League One while in charge at Rotherham United, winning promotion in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
He also lifted the Papa John’s Trophy with the Millers during the 2021/22 promotion campaign.
As United prepare for the trip to Pride Park this evening, Manning said: “When you look at them, they’ve got a strong coach that knows the level.
“If you look at the success he’s had in his career, he knows how to build a team and play a style to get out of the division.
“If you look at the size of the club, the resources they have and what they’ve recruited, naturally the size and history of the club makes them [promotion] favourites and extremely competitive.
“What we know is we’re up against a physical side, a side which has clarity in what they’re trying to do, and some experienced players that have played at numerous levels of the game.
“We do our work on them and know what they’re about, but for me, always the emphasis shifts back on us because we can’t control them.
“What we can control is us, and all our energy goes into what’s our game plan, what do we look like in each of the phases, how do we press, how do we block, how do we build, and how do we create chances?”
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Manning also stressed that he and his coaching staff would treat the Rams just like any other opponent in the third tier this season, with the size of the club irrespective of the preparation work that goes into the game.
“For me, the process we go through is the same no matter who we’re playing,” said Manning.
“We show the same level of respect for everybody, the same level of work, and the same level of preparation.
“The reason we do that is we know how we want to get success in the game.
“It doesn’t change in terms of what we do and that’s the message to the players.
“The behaviours are the same, as are the attitude and the application.”
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