Derby vs Cardiff Prediction, Betting Tips and Preview

Derby take on Cardiff in Championship action this Sunday. Read the match predictions to find out why an away win is the betting tip at Pride Park Stadium.

Derby vs Cardiff Preview

After a promising start to the season, Derby have had a frustrating 2018. Since New Years Day, Gary Rowett’s side have only picked up two league wins. However, they have also only suffered defeat twice, leaving eight games ending in draws. The Rams sit 5th in the Championship but are now only three points ahead of Sheffield United who are keeping the pressure on to take their playoff spot away from them. There’s not much separating the teams in the top half of the table and Rowett knows his side need to start converting draws into wins if they are to challenge for a spot in the Premier League next season.

Derby’s last game ended in a 0-0 draw away to Nottingham Forest which made it five draws in their last seven games. Their home form has been generally solid all season but the hosts are now winless in their last three after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Fulham in their last match at Pride Park. Two early goals from the visitors meant Rowett’s side were on the backfoot for the majority of the game and despite a goal from Tom Huddlestone in the 58th minute, Derby were unable to find the net again to take anything away from the game.

Derby lost 4-3 to Cardiff in this fixture last season. The Rams took a two-goal lead early on in the game but found themselves 3-2 by the 57th minute. An equaliser in the 74th minute by Darren Bent seemed to earn a point for the hosts before a 90th-minute penalty, converted by Joe Ralls meant that the visitors took home all three points.

Midfielders George Thorne and Joe Ledley are injured for Derby and Tom Huddlestone is currently serving a suspension and so Rowett may opt to start Chris Baird in midfield.

Cardiff come into this game hoping to make it eight wins in a row. Neil Warnock’s side have been in excellent form of late which has seen them keep the pressure on league-leaders Wolves and move seven points clear of third-placed Villa. They’re looking likely to return to the Premier League after being relegated in their first season in 2013/2014. However, The Bluebirds have a number of tough fixtures in their nine remaining games including trips to Sheff Utd and Aston Villa and hosting rivals Wolves. A win on Saturday would ease the pressure slightly but Warnock will be taking it game by game until automatic promotion is secured.

Cardiff’s last game saw them go a goal down within the first five minutes away to Brentford. Warnock’s side showed fighting spirit to come back and found themselves leading by two goals to one by halftime. Another in the second half by Kenneth Zohore made sure the visitors were taking home all three points and extended their winning streak to seven consecutive games.

Aron Gunnarsson, Joe Ralls and Jazz Richards remain out for Cardiff while Craig Bryson is also unlikely to feature after missing the victory over Brentford in midweek.

Derby vs Cardiff Betting Tips

• Derby have won 1 drawn 7 and lost 2 of their last 10 matches
• Cardiff have won 8 drawn 1 and lost 1 of their last 10 matches
• Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Derby have scored an average of 1.1 goals and conceded an average of 1.1 goals per game
• Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Cardiff have scored an average of 1.8 goals and conceded an average of 1.8 goals per game
• There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of Derby’s previous 10 matches
• There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of Cardiff’s previous 10 matches

Derby vs Cardiff Prediction

Both sides have a lot to play for. Derby are focussed on securing a playoff spot while Cardiff have their eyes firmly set on automatic promotion. Derby have scored in their last four matches at home and Cardiff have scored in their last four away matches and we expect both sides to find the net on Sunday. With so much to play for, this could be a very even game but we can’t look past the blistering form Cardiff are in presently. They’ve won their last seven matches in a row and with Derby winless in their last seven, we’re backing an away win with over 2.5 goals.

Derby (4-2-3-1 formation): Carson, Forsyth, Keogh, Davies, Wisdom, Johnson, Baird, Weimann, Palmer, Lawrence, Jerome

Cardiff (4-2-3-1 formation): Etheridge, Bennett, Bamba, Morrison, Manga, Damour, Grujic, Hoilett, Paterson, Mendez-Laing, Zohore

Matches have generally been quite even between these two sides with Derby winning 7 and Cardiff 10 of the 25 played. They’ve also both won two of the last five meetings with the latest ending in a 0-0 draw at Cardiff City Stadium.

This fixture last season ended in a thrilling 4-3 victory to Cardiff. After going two goals down in the first half, the visitors put three past the host within the space of 16 minutes only to see Darren Bent equalise for the hosts 15 minutes from time. Cardiff then snatched the win when midfielder Joe Ralls converted a penalty in the 90th minute.

Live information will appear here once the game starts.

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