Burton Albion could be without three attacking players for Saturday's trip to Derby County - but former Rams defender Jake Buxton is back in contention.

Lloyd Dyer is still a doubt for Albion as he recovers from a hamstring problem sustained in the 3-1 defeat to Sheffield United, while Sean Scannell could also miss out after injuring his groin in the loss to Sunderland at the weekend.

John Brayford may also miss out on a return to the ground where he played between 2010 and 2013.

There is a better chance of Will Miller featuring at Pride Park, although Nigel Clough they are still not sure on his availability after he felt a tight hamstring at the weekend.

Lloyd Dyer is one of the Brewers' top scorers this season
Lloyd Dyer is one of the Brewers' top scorers this season

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward has struggled with a hamstring issue for much of the campaign.

"Lloyd is a doubt at the moment," said Clough when offering an update on Burton's current injury situation.

"Sean Scannell is a doubt, and John Brayford is as well.

"They are the main three, we're not sure whether they will make Saturday or not.

"We're not sure (with Miller) - his hamstring is tight.

"We say to the lads that if they feel these things tightening, let us know, because once they do go beyond that, then you are talking four to six weeks.

Will Miller runs at the Brentford defence

"With John Brayford, he's been out since the Nottingham Forest game, so it's five weeks. It's a fair old chunk of the season."

Better news from the Albion treatment room is that Buxton - a former player-of-the-year at Derby - is back from a thigh problem and could play at the weekend.

Still, Clough is wary of the Brewers' injury list, and ensuring it does not grow any further ahead of such a busy time of the season.

"Yes, Jake is in contention," he added.

"He has trained a little bit this week - it was just that niggle he had on his thigh that he had at Brentford, and last weekend.

"It's the time of year when you are very conscious with all the games coming up over Christmas.

"If anybody injures a muscle now, then they miss the best part of six or seven games within a few weeks.

"You always have that at the back of your mind, and balancing that with the need to try to get a result in the present, on Saturday.

"We certainly cannot afford to lose too many players for a long period."

Buxton's return to fitness does not mean an automatic return to the Burton backline, though.

Tom Naylor replaced the Brewers' skipper at Brentford and has produced a couple of assured performances at centre-half.

"There is no guarantee," said Clough.

"We said this last week - nobody has a guaranteed shirt at the moment.

"We defended very well against Sunderland, and that is the longest we have gone keeping a clean sheet at home since the opening day of the season.

"We think we have defended all right, and we've been beaten by a setplay - a brilliant flick by Lee Cattermole in the 84th minute, there's not much you can do about that.

"We are just disappointed we didn't pick James Vaughan up in the box once he's come on."