2024-25 Sky Bet Championship: Week 39 – Wednesday

Relegation-battling Derby County host Preston North End in a rescheduled Championship clash.

Victory will lift Derby out of the relegation zone whilst a winning margin of two goals or more would see them climb to 20th in the table.

Preston will remain 14th regardless of the result.

 

Team News

Derby have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 3-2 win at Plymouth before the international break.

Ben Osborn, Kemar Roofe (both hamstring), Lars Jorgen-Salvesen, Curtis Nelson (both knee) and David Ozoh (thigh) remain sidelined.

Preston will be without goalkeeper, Freddie Woodman for the rest of this season due to an ankle injury which forced him to miss their FA Cup Quarter-Final exit against Aston Villa.

Kaine Kelser-Hayden, Ryan Ledson and Ryan Porteous are set to return after the trio were ineligible against Villa.

Alistair McCann (muscle), Brad Potts (hamstring) and Jack Whatmough (calf) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Derby host Preston at Pride Park on Wednesday 2 April at 7:45pm BST, live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Derby have won one of their last five league meetings against Preston (W1, D2, L2).
• Preston have won just one of their last 14 regular-season league trips to Derby (W1, D5, L8).
• Both teams took a win apiece in their last two clashes at Pride Park by 1-0 results.
• Three of Derby’s last four goals at home were scored in the opening 23 minutes (W2).
• Preston have won one of their last five away matches (W1, D1, L3).

 

Prediction

Having won three games on the bounce to boost their survival hopes, Derby now need to build on that momentum and avoid blowing a two-goal lead like they did at Plymouth before digging deep for a late winner if want to stay up.

Preston meanwhile were absolutely outplayed by Villa despite a resilient first-half defensive effort and lacked a clear-cut final touch, so I do hope that they can put that FA Cup exit behind them and rediscover their attacking spark but their away form at Pride Park is a concern.

Paul Heckingbottom’s Lilywhites though will have the initial fitness advantage as Derby have had two-and-a-half weeks off so they must make that count if want anything here, otherwise the Rams should really get something here for their survival push.

Prediction: Derby 1-1 Preston

Result: Derby 2-0 Preston