Derby County can take a giant stride towards the top six of League One this weekend as they tackle promotion rivals Barnsley at Pride Park.

Victory will put Paul Warne's side level on points with the Tykes in what is arguably the game of the day in the division as the Rams chase a crucial victory.

Ahead of the game against Neill Collins' side, Derby's head coach spoke to the local media yesterday and here is a selection of questions as Warne spoke on Barnsley, reflected on the Wolves performance, the need for back-to-back wins, and the next phase of development for the academy youngsters.

What did you make of the win over Wolves?

"I was really pleased. We went into the game wanting to win and because we've got so many games coming up, wanting to rest some of the players for the game so they are fresh for Barnsley.

"But the lads I put in, I had full confidence in and you put a bit of sugar in of the academy lads who have done really well and have trained with us for a couple of days. The EFL Trophy games are awkward because you only have one day to work with the team. We played Sunday and trained Monday which was very little.

"It was then prep on Tuesday so I didn't expect it to be 100 per cent cohesive. It wasn't really in the first half but I made some changes and changed the shape, brought some academy players on and all in all we deserved to go through. To get three wins and top the group is great. It gives us the opportunity of another game."

How closer is Tony Weston to the first team now?

"Well, he's closer than he was this time yesterday because he came on and played really well. I like Tony, I've seen Tony play in an academy game which must have been about five or six weeks ago and he scored a hat-trick.

"I like athletic players. I like players who run. I like players who press, I like players who play like they're 13 at school. I like players who are fearless and Tony did really well when he came on. His energy was really good and he won the ball back for Collo to score and he scored a goal himself. It just gets him a step closer, obviously. And if an opportunity arises then I've got no hesitation of letting him step up."

What is the next phase of the academy players' development?

"It's just trying to get them more first-team minutes and to keep performing in the academy. But if their standards drop in the academy and a chance arises they won't get it. I spoke to them after and told them they did really well. But I said it's hard, isn't it? And we demand a lot of you. But imagine doing 80 to 90 minutes. They need to keep getting fitter and stronger.

"I could go on for 20 minutes even though I am 50, although I am not saying I would be great. It's just about trying to keep developing them. The academy are doing great and trying to get them into training more if we can. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't because you have to be respectful of their schedule as well. But it is about trying to get chances with the first team and they have to earn it really. If you train with the first-team squad then you have to be better than four or five of them. If you don't, then you don't get a chance by default.

"By getting fitter, stronger and performing for the academy, I'll speak to the academy managers, they'll say 'he's doing really well, let me show you the clips'. If we don't sign an attacking player in January there might be a chance to step up, we have an FA Cup game next week so I don't want to sign players who are not better than ours and also don't block the academy. It looks like to me there are some real shoots of improvement and growth."

How important is it to take advantage of the home games coming up?

"Since we've been here and against the top six times, we haven't really put a marker down. I think this year, we've beaten Peterborough in the top six and I know we drew with Portsmouth when we should have beaten them.

"I still feel bitter about the Bolton result, but it's a good opportunity and we could potentially go level on points with Barnsley and with three home games in quick succession, we could have got through to the EFL Trophy, which we have, I want to win Saturday to get in the playoffs and we could potentially get through in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

"There are three big home games for us where it's gonna take everything. I bemoaned last week that Barnsley played their FA Cup game on the Friday. We played on the Sunday and then played again on Wednesday and so we try to give ourselves the best opportunity to be at our best at the weekend. It's a big game that we are - I 'm not saying desperate to win - but if we put on a really good performance we will be a hard team to beat."

It's so reactionary win or lose, how important is it to put a buffer between that and secure back-to-back wins?

"It would be great. Look I understand it. I'm not a child. I understand the fact that this is a big club that wants to win every game as do Portsmouth, as do Charlton and Bolton. These are all big clubs that have had their time in the top flight and we're desperate to get it back into the Championship.

"I do understand the frustration and I understand the frustration because I'm part of it. I stand on the side of the pitch thinking 'wow, if only would have scored then or if only we have taken our chances'. But the fans can rest assured that everyone's working diligently to try to get it and our performances bar a couple have been really good. It's just our dearth of goals, which is disappointing. If we were to win this weekend, it'd be great.

But come the end of the season is when it matters. That's why you've got to just try and be consistent with the messaging to the players, the treatment of the players, not be too high, be too low, just keep trying to reaffirm what we're really good at and what we need to improve on. And even if we win this weekend, we still have things we need to improve on. It's a constant moving machine, but the lads are in a good place. I'm hugely disappointed with the Shrewsbury and Stevenage performances quite obviously. But we have played really well in between that and hopefully, this weekend will be another performance where it will give us another opportunity to win and to win in football you need a lot to go for you and at times you don't even have to be the better team."

Potentially you can get back into the playoffs and that gives you an edge, doesn't it?

"Of course. But you do look at the league table. If we were third, I'd be saying we're doing really well. So I can't say that when we're seventh or eighth. I can't say it doesn't matter. It does matter. We want to get in the playoffs and I'm not saying we want to get in the playoffs and think we've made it and we can breathe. We want to get in the playoffs and push up, but to be successful in any league you just need back-to-back wins.

I think Bolton have now gone four on the spin and their position looks a lot rosier. We need to get back-to-back wins and it shouldn't matter what the opposition is, we should always back ourselves to win and I do back our team to win on Saturday. I've told them all week I back them to win but only if we're at our best. If we're not at our best, we won't deserve to."

What do you make of this Barnsley team compared to last season?

"I think we did okay with them at home. I have watched them twice live this season. I've seen them obviously a lot recently as well. They've done really well on the road. The standout performance in recent weeks is winning at Cambridge 4-0. I think Cambridge had the most clean sheets of any team in all four leagues so that is very impressive.

We do know their threats. They have pace up top, they can get in behind you and cause you problems and teams that ask different questions are the hardest to play against. They obviously lost a couple of their main defenders, but they're still playing in a similar way.

They've still got really good midfielders especially and they do ask a lot of questions. They have experience in this division last year they lost in the playoffs. I know they have lost players but they have got a lot still that have done really well.

"I do know it will be another tough game but like I said, they have taken many points off many teams but as well as their season has gone, we're only three points behind them and it could be argued that we've underperformed. Like I've said millions of times, if we're at our best, we should give them a game that could, with a little bit of lady luck, go in our favor."

What do you think the score will be at the weekend? Have your say in the comments section.