Freddie Sears and his Ipswich Town teammates will be gunning for three points against the Championship’s form team tomorrow, but the striker admitted the most important thing is to avoid defeat against their promotion rivals.

Derby, currently sitting third behind Middlesbrough and Brighton, are firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion and have impressed the Blues striker during the first half of the Championship season.

While the 26-year-old admitted a point would probably be a good result from Saturday’s game, Sears is confident Town can give Paul Clement’s side a run for their money, while agreeing with manager Mick McCarthy that the Rams are the best side in the division.

“For me they’re probably the best team in the division, so they should be top two really,” Sears said.

“They have some good players and a good manager and have started to click lately, so they will be flying for Saturday after winning 4-0.

“We do a job on teams and we’ll be going in confident after winning (at Fulham) and we’ll be looking for another result.

“The most important thing is not to lose I think. If you get a point against Derby I think you’ll take that, but if you win you’re over the moon.”

The Blues go into the game at Portman Road on the back of away wins at MK Dons and Fulham but, with QPR, Brighton and Burnley all to play over the Christmas period, Sears accepts the bar has been raised in terms of opposition.

“We expect to beat Fulham, no disrespect to Fulham, no disrespect to MK Dons, we go there and expect to win,” he said.

“Saturday is going to be a lot tougher, with a lot of good players and we have four or five very tough games coming up.

“We’re ready for that, we have a good squad here and everyone’s pulling in the same direction.”