Nottingham Forest vs Derby County
Sunday 11th March 2018
SkyBet Championship, City Ground
Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick-Off: 14:30
Nottingham Forest vs Derby County – Much more is at stake than just three points in the always ferocious East Midlands derby between Nottingham Forest and Derby County.
Bragging rights and the pride of the East Midlands comes with the territory. Also, for Derby a win is essential to maintain their dwindling automatic promotion chances.
Forest will be desperate to avenge their 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. That game featured an opening goal after just 24 seconds from Matej Vydra, so always expect the unexpected in this one.
The Rams are undefeated in their last four East Midlands derbies, winning three of them. This, and the direction Gary Rowett is taking the side in, is widening the gap between the two teams. But everyone knows that derbies are a complete leveller. Derby will be favourites, but you can guarantee that Aitor Karanka’s side will need to motivation to get one over on their biggest rivals.
Forest are in the abyss of mid-table at present. An early-season play-off challenge has fallen by the wayside and now The Reds are 15th, 14 points away from 6th. Derby were in 2nd just a matter of weeks ago, but without a win in six games they are now nine points adrift of Cardiff. The race isn’t over yet though, and consolidation of a play-off spot with ten games remaining is vital.
Forest are unbeaten in their last five, so will come into this full of confidence. One feels that the club are putting the foundations in place for a potential promotion challenge next season.
Jeremy Simpson will have the hard task of being the man in the middle for this one. Of the 33 Championship referees, only six give out a higher average of booking points (45.4). The tempestuous nature of this one lends itself to the idea of him having to give out plenty more. This is the type of game that both sides may find themselves adding to their one sending off of the season to date.
Excitingly, goals are a certainty in this one. Derby have conceded in their last five games and Forest have conceded in their previous nine home fixtures. Rowett’s side have found the net two or more times in 17 matches this season too. Additionally, no side has conceded two or more goals more than Forest – 19 times.
Nottingham Forest vs Derby County will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick off at 14:30 GMT.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Derby
Suggested tips – Nottingham Forest vs Derby – (BET365)
- Correct score, Derby Win 2-1 – (link no longer available).
- Half Time / Full Time – Forest / Derby – (link no longer available) .
Suggested tips – Nottingham Forest vs Derby – (SKYBET)
- Both Players to Score – Daryl Murphy and Matej Vydra – 6/1.
Odds updated on 9th March at 13:20 GMT.
More markets will be added over the weekend prior to the game kicking off on Sunday afternoon.
Keep visiting the tips and preview area for further updates and betting previews for the remainder of this weekend’s domestic league fixtures from England.
