Nyatanga out to prove worth against the best

The Welsh teenager Lewin Nyatanga aims to make a point to the Derby manager Billy Davies when he comes up against Germany at the weekend. Nyatanga, 19, has again been shipped out on loan by the Premier League newcomers, and while Nyatanga was with Barnsley at the weekend, he will have been more than aware that Derby looked like they needed all the defenders they could muster as they lost 6-0 to Liverpool. The confidence of the Wales coach John Toshack in Nyatanga has never wavered, while Davies does not appear to have the same trust.

"I was working with Derby all summer and looking forward to having a crack at the Premier League," he said, "so obviously I was disappointed to be loaned out, but I don't see it as rejection, more a learning curve. As a young player if that is something I have to do, then so be it. Maybe they do need defenders. But I know they will stick together and get better, they will be OK." Nyatanga added: "I enjoy being involved with Wales, it allows me to experience football at a higher level. But I know I have to prove myself at club level. John Toshack has had confidence in me and keeps picking me. To a certain extent that has not happened at club level, but I am not going to complain about it."

Nyatanga will now be thrust into the biggest game of his life against Germany at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in a Euro 2008 qualifier. He added: "I always want to see how I compare with the top players, the Germans are certainly that. I aim to play to the best of my ability."

Wales have sent striker Daniel Nardiello back to QPR for further treatment on a back injury, while they continue monitoring defender Steve Evans, who has so far not trained this week due to an ankle problem. They do, however, have skipper Craig Bellamy raring to go after being at his wife Clare's bedside yesterday when she gave birth to their third child, a girl. Toshack is likely to call up either Neil Eardley or Chris Gunter from the under-21s to give him full-back cover now Danny Collins has pulled out.

And it is expected that Wigan's David Cotterill will also be added to the squad for next Wednesday's trip to face Slovakia in another qualifier, after playing for the under-21s against France on Friday in Grenoble. Real Sociedad's newly-signed midfielder David Vaughan will also join the squad.