Jake Buxton believes Saturday's 'A38 derby' is a bigger game for Burton Albion than it is for hosts Derby County - and for more than one reason.
The Brewers make the short journey to Pride Park on Saturday (3pm) with a two-point gap between themselves and Championship safety, while the Rams currently sit within the play-off places, despite a midweek defeat at home to Ipswich Town.
There will always be a unique link between the clubs, given their geographical proximity and Derby's position as the 'bigger neighbour'.
While former Rams defender Buxton knows that other Championship clashes rank higher for Derby fans - such as the fierce East Midlands rivalry with Nottingham Forest - the Albion skipper believes it does not get bigger than this for the Brewers.
And if they can produce yet another spirited display on the road, Burton could nudge themselves out of the bottom three - so there is more than one reason for this game to take on big billing.
"It's obviously a big game for both clubs," said Buxton.
"It has been turned into an A38 local derby in the past 16 months.
"So it's a big occasion for both clubs, and probably a bigger game for us than them, really.
"We need the points more than them.
"I think Derby County will look at the fixtures and probably look at this one as not being as big as the Forest and Leeds United games.
"But for Burton Albion, and for us as players, it's a massive game for us.
"Our away form has been good - it bodes well for a good game.
"After watching Derby on Tuesday night (in the loss to Ipswich), there is an opportunity for us if we start brightly and get after them."
Buxton knows more than most what an achievement it is for the Brewers to be playing Derby in a league fixture for a second successive season.
He moved to Derby from the Pirelli Stadium in 2009, after helping Albion into the Football League for the first time in their history.
Eight years after that move, though, the clubs are now equals in the same division - and the Burton defender knows there would be no better time to re-energise their survival bid than with a positive result at Pride Park.
"Burton took four points off Derby last season, which is incredible," he added.
"We will be looking to do the same.
"The journey that Burton has gone on to get to where they are is phenomenal.
"But we are in the same league, we are playing against the same players week in and week out.
"It's up to us to stand up and start doing our jobs.
"It has to start somewhere, this home form especially (with the Brewers having lost six on the bounce at the Pirelli).
"But away from home, we feel quite confident and comfortable of getting a result."
