Chance to extend winning streak and promotion battles: Derby County's next five games

Derby County have been on fire lately with five wins in a row and after a slow start, they find themselves right in the promotion mix.

The Rams sit in fifth place in League One, just three points off the automatic promotion places and nine points off the top of the league with a game in hand on league leaders Portsmouth.

Paul Warne's side come off the back of a 3-0 away win against Leyton Orient and look ahead to the rest of Dedcember with plenty of chance to puish further up the table and towards the top two.

If they can extend their five game winning streak, the Rams will be challenging for the lead in League One sooner rather than later.

Here are Derby's next five league games.

Derby County vs Wycombe Wanderers (H) - Saturday 16 December: 3pm

Wycombe will come to Pride Park this Saturday in what is a good chance for the Rams to extend their good run of form.

Wycombe have not been brilliant recently and now sit in 15th place having lost their last four games. They were considered to be a playoff outsider before the season but have really struggled. From a Derby perspetive, the Rams will play the Chairboys at the perfect time.

The Rams are one of the most in form teams in the league and they will play one of the most out of sorts teams. It should give Paul Warne's side the chance for yet another three points.

Derby County vs Lincoln City (H) - Thursday 21 December: 7.45pm

Lincoln City will then make a Thursday night trip to Pride Park in a game that was postponed from earlier in the season due to players getting international call-ups.

The Imps should provide more of a test as they sit in ninth place and just five points behind the Rams. Michael Skubala's side have the third best defensive record in the league behind the Rams and Portsmouth which should provide two teams that will be trying their best to break eachother down.

Derby will be favourites, but the Imps could certainly cause them a few problems next Thursday.

Wigan Athletic vs Derby County (A) - Tuesday 26 December: 3pm

Derby's Boxing Day trip will be to a resurgent Wigan side who despite points deductions at the start of the season, sit in 14th place and unbeaten in six league games.

Shaun Maloney's side will likely provide the Rams with a test as they have had some success against the top teams as of late, recording a win against Peterborough United last month.

With a couple of goalscoring threats in the form of Charlie Wyke (6 goals) and Stephen Humphreys (7 goals), they could give the Rams plenty of work when they make the trip to the North West after Christmas.

Oxford United vs Derby County (A) - Friday 29 December 7.45pm

One of the marquee matchups of Derby's winter period, they will make the trip to Oxford just three days after the Wigan clash.

Oxford United have been in the playoff places from the start of the season and now sit one place below the Rams but on the same points and with the exact same number of wins, draws and losses.

Derby are in better form as Oxford have only won twice in their past five, but regardless, this will be a big promotion clash between two sides hoping to catch up to Portsmouth at the top of the table.

Derby County vs Peterborough United (H) - Monday 1 January: 3pm

There is no restbite for the Rams who will face fourth placed Peterborough just three days after sixth placed Oxford.

Another marquee matchup on New Year's Day, the Posh have accelerated well into the promotion race after a slow start much like the Rams. With threats Kwame Poku and Ephron Mason-Clark (both seven goals so far) going forward the Posh are the highest scoring team in the league by some margin.

Derby's defensive stars such as Eiran Cashin and Curtis Nelson will have to play their best to keep a clean sheet, not to mention star goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

It should be a very entertaining game and will be set up to be one of the most important games of the winter period for Paul Warne's side.