Derby County vs Charlton Athletic kicks off at 7.45pm tonight at Pride Park Stadium

Derby County prepare to face Charlton Athletic for the second time this month tonight as they look to close the gap on Portsmouth in first place.

The Rams come off the back of a 2-1 defeat away at promotion chasing Barnsley and will be keen on getting back to winning ways at Pride Park tonight.

They face a 20th-placed Charlton side who are still in the first month of head coach Nathan Jones' management.

Paul Warne's side now have two home games in a row against Charlton and Port Vale. The Derby boss says both will be tough.

He told Rams TV: "Every team poses different questions and different threats but, at this time of the year, unless you play a side in 12th spot that have already got their passports out, teams all have a reason to get points.

"Looking at Charlton, they haven't won in their last seven or eight. However, they've drawn a lot of them and if you look at their opposition, it puts it into context a bit.

"They drew at home to Portsmouth on Saturday, drew with Bolton the game before that and probably should have won. They will come here wanting to pick up all three points."

The Addicks appointed Nathan Jones just days after the two teams last met at the start of February. They have a talented squad but have failed to capitalise on that talent this season.

Warne said he believes that Jones' side have underachieved. He said: "I didn't think they were horrific before him, really.

"If you look at their playing staff, their squad is really good, they are just underachieving for whatever reason.

"Nathan Jones is an experienced manager, but their actual form isn't a lot different. They spent some proper money in January and I do know they will turn a corner, just hopefully not before Wednesday!"

The Rams come off the back of a defeat to promotion rivals Barnsley in a game where they were marginally second-best.

The Tykes have moved to just one point behind Derby now, but Warne believes there were positives to take from Saturday's defeat.

He added: "I thought we were a little bit too safe in the first half. We went sideways and backwards a little bit, but they did press us really well because they are a young and energetic side.

"In the second half we had a bit more impotence about us and played a lot better. Apart from one shot from outside of the box and the corner which they scored from, they didn't get near our goal.

"That was the most disappointing thing. A draw was probably a fair result but sometimes you get games like that."

Warne will be hoping that his side can bounce back tonight against Charlton at Pride Park.

Derby County vs Charlton Athletic kicks off at 7.45pm this evening.