The sides meet at Deepdale on Wednesday teatime (5pm) in North End's historic 5,000th league game and Alex Neil's men really need a win after slipping out of the top six last Saturday.
Results over the last few years show that the Rams have had the sign over PNE, a run which needs to stop this week.
North End last beat Derby on Boxing Day 2008, goals from Sean St Ledger and Jon Parkin delivering a 2-0 victory in front of 13,896 crowd at Deepdale
Since then, they have toiled against the men from Pride Park - Derby have won nine of the meetings since with four others ending in draws.
The last meeting between the sides was in November, a first-half goal from Martyn Waghorn enough to give the Rams a 1-0 win.
Last season's clash at Deepdale resulted in a 0-0 draw.
In the December 2008 victory for North End, St Ledger put them in front after half an hour.
A free-kick from Ross Wallace stayed low as it came into the box, the ball travelling through a sea of legs before centre-half St Ledger turned it over the line from six yards.
PNE's second goal came in the 68th minute, Wallace involved again.
The winger dropped a fine cross from the left over the Rams defence, Parkin chesting it down before hammering a shot past Derby goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.
North End could certainly do with similar craft as they try to find a way past Derby in this week's behind closed doors game.