Drogba set for 1st start of 2016 season in 401 Derby

Montreal Impact star striker Didier Drogba could be set to make his first start of the season as archrival Toronto FC visit Stade Saputo on Saturday.

Drogba featured off the bench and scored in Montreal's 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire last weekend. He's been used sparingly in the first few weeks of the 2016 campaign, with fears of aggravating a knee injury on artificial surfaces keeping him out of the starting lineup.

However, the former Chelsea man says he could be ready to start for the first 401 Derby match of the 2016 season.

"I'm improving," Drogba said, according to ESPN FC's Doug McIntyre. "It was good to play those minutes, but now I need to push in the training sessions to make sure I'm ready to start. Maybe not 90 (minutes), but at least start and play 60 or 70. It depends how long I can rely on my legs."

Related - Watch: Didier Drogba scores his 1st goal of 2016 with cheeky back-heel

Drogba's return aligns perfectly for derby day, a prospect the Ivorian striker says he's relishing.

"It's a good rivalry, I can see our fans are really excited about it," Drogba said. "A derby is there to be won. We have to win. But at the end the day it's only three points."