Match Preview: Derby County

4AB5CD43-4EF7-433D-AB4B-9BD73CE1F833 — Image: Fulham FC

Derby County did us a favour by beating Bournemouth over the weekend, but we need to be at our best to ensure we don’t suffer the same fate as our title rivals.

The Rams have had a very interesting season on and off the pitch. On the pitch, they have taken 21 points which isn’t bad considering their centre back pairing has a combined age of 75. Off the pitch they have had all of their points deducted after going into administration and breaking the EFL’s Profitability and Sustainability rules. In charge of the Rams is Premier League and England legend, Wayne Rooney. He has done a pretty decent job, last season keeping Derby up and making them competitive this term. The key man for Rooney’s side has to be Tom Lawrence who has been an ever present in this Derby side for a good few years. He has the most goals and assists for his team and will be a threat, cutting in from the wing. Despite being bottom, we need to be careful not to be complacent as Derby can be a stubborn side.

We find ourselves top of the league having beat Barnsley on Saturday. I don’t think we had our best game but we were clinical and had some fantastic end product. Kebano was a livewire all game and he has become one of the first names on the team sheet due to his ultra-consistent performances. Now we are top of the league we need to make sure we don’t slip up. We need to concentrate on what we can do and hopefully Bournemouth will slip up a few more times. I have full faith in us winning the league but it will take a lot of drive and power. Derby are our latest opposition and we need to ensure that we don’t underestimate them.

I would make one change to the team that beat Barnsley and that would be bringing Tosin in for Hector at centre back. I don’t think Hector has been particularly bad in the games he started and think he deputised well but Tosin is a significant improvement. I fancy Mitro, Kebano and Carvalho to all get on the scoresheet tonight.

SCORE PREDICTION: Fulham 3-0 Derby County

PREFERRED LINE-UP: 4-2-3-1

H2H LEAGUE RECORD (OVERALL)

PLAYED – 56
FULHAM WINS – 16
DRAWS – 20
DERBY WINS – 20
GOALS SCORED – 82
GOALS CONCEDED – 95

H2H LEAGUE RECORD (HOME)

PLAYED – 28
FULHAM WINS – 12
DRAWS – 12
DERBY WINS – 4
GOALS SCORED – 47
GOALS CONCEDED – 28

LAST 5 MATCHES

DERBY COUNTY 1-1 FULHAM
FULHAM 3-0 DERBY COUNTY
FULHAM 2-0 DERBY COUNTY (Playoffs)
DERBY COUNTY 1-1 FULHAM (Playoffs)
DERBY COUNTY 1-2 FULHAM

BIGGEST WINS AT CRAVEN COTTAGE

FULHAM 3-0 DERBY (1935/36 – FA Cup, 1951/52, 2019/20)
FULHAM 2-5 DERBY (2014/15 – League Cup)
FULHAM 5-2 DERBY (1953/54, 2001/02 – League Cup)

PLAYERS IN COMMON

Chris Baird, Giles Barnes, Darren Bent, Cyrus Christie, Steve Hayward, Shefki Kuqi, Dean Leacock, Eddie Lewis, Scott Malone, Chris Martin, Richard Money, Paul Parker, Mark Pembridge, Paul Peschisolido, Ben Pringle, Patrick Roberts, Mark Stallard, Richard Stearman, Fredrik Stoor, Paul Trollope, Harry Wilson.