THE game may be at Pride Park, rather than the City Ground – and is certainly miles away from the River Trent.
But Alex McLeish still does not want to see the red mist rolling in when Nottingham Forest travel to the home of fierce rivals Derby County tomorrow.
McLeish is a veteran of numerous local derbies, as a player and a manager, on both sides of the border.
And he smiles knowingly when he says he knows a thing or two about them.
But there is one age old adage he holds in as high regard as any other – and that is that you are always better off with 11 men on the pitch.
The most painful statistic for Forest fans, ahead of tomorrow's game, is that Derby have won the last four meetings between the two sides.
That, of course, was before McLeish's time; prior to his appointment following the Boxing Day dismissal of Sean O'Driscoll.
And there is another stat that is of more concern to the Scotsman – and that is that, in the last four East Midlands derbies, there has been a sending off.
"The last thing you want in any game is to lose resources by getting a man sent off," said McLeish.
"I have a pretty good record at the clubs I have been at, in terms of keeping players aware of discipline.
"Yes, I have had players sent off. But it can be a decision that you don't agree with. Referees have to make split-second decisions.
"Hopefully referees are getting a bit more help, in that respect. But we do not want anyone getting sent off in a stupid fashion, that is for sure.
"I will not tolerate that, not at all."
For McLeish, passion is acceptable. But there is a fine line that needs to be walked, if you want to secure the right result.
"I love derbies. I know that every fan on the planet believes that their derby is the most special one. Who am I to argue with that?" he said.
"I have been involved at the old firm derby and that is something special to experience. People don't realise what to expect until you have experienced it.
"Nobody can prepare you, until you have experienced it. You cannot explain it. It was the same with the derbies at Birmingham and Villa and I am sure it will be the same with this one.
"It is a feisty derby. We know the passion that comes with these matches. But we want to go there and come back with three points.
"They are a free-flowing, attack-minded side and it should be a good game. I am really looking forward to it. I cannot wait.
"The bragging rights are so important. Both myself and young Mr Clough will be very, very pleased – as an understatement – if either of us win it.
"We need to be passionate, but we also need to be clever.
"I have to get everything out of every single player in a Forest jersey for this game and in all games.
"I have never taken charge of an East Midlands derby before, so hopefully my record can be as good as it was in Glasgow, in Edinburgh and Birmingham."
Another man who is likely to play an integral role in tomorrow's clash, on his derby debut, is keeper Karl Darlow.
The 22-year-old will start the game at Pride Park after McLeish announced he would be first choice for the rest of the campaign – with new signing Khalid Al-Rashidi expected to push him once he has acclimatised to the English game.
McLeish has faith in Darlow's ability and, more tellingly, in his mental strength.
And he hopes Forest fans will show the same faith in him.
"Somewhere down the line, he might make a mistake. But we are not frightened about that and nor should he be," he said.
"He has good presence, he is a good kicker of the ball, he commands his box, he comes for crosses well and he is a good shot stopper.
"All the ingredients are there – he has all the makings of a fine young keeper. I like his confidence.
"You have to have belief in yourself. It is vital.
"I have seen so many good players who, when they make a mistake, let their heads go down.
"It can be a feature of their whole career and you want to give them a shake; to tell them to think how good they could be if they had the belief in themselves.
"I see him as number one for the rest of the season.
"The first time he loses a goal, people will say that it is because he is inexperienced. You can see that coming a mile off, people will say that when it happens.
"It might be the same kind of goal that an experienced keeper might lose. But I know the way the game works and the spin of something like that, when it happens.
"I am sure, in the games coming up, that people will try to test him – but only in the same way as we will try to test the opposition keeper.
"He is going to have a pretty quick education at a very high level. But we have great belief in him."
McLeish clearly has great faith in Darlow to keep his head under pressure tomorrow. If the rest of the Forest side can follow suit, then perhaps the only red mist at Pride Park will be voiced within the celebratory chants of the visiting fans.
