The first weekend back in the Sky Bet Championship after the international break concludes on Sunday lunchtime and it does so with a clash between the team at the bottom of the table going into the latest set of matches and the side who led the way at the start of it as Derby County host Bournemouth.
To be fair to Derby County, they are only situated where they are because of events off the pitch rather than on them but they take on a Bournemouth team who have begun the season on fire and looking to push on now that the division doesn’t take another international break for four months.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Sports Football channel. The build-up to the contest begins at 11.30am with the match kicking off at 12 noon.
Derby County
If you look at the league table you will see Derby County in a dire situation sitting rooted to the bottom of the division on -3 points. In reality they have 18 points because they have suffered a 21 point deduction for financial issues. The 18 points they have picked up this term would have them a few places above the relegation zone, and while that might seem like a failure for Wayne Rooney’s side from the outside, the pressure of having to win every match really can’t be underplayed.
Winning is something the Rams are struggling to do. Draws aren’t really much good to them in their current plight but sods law makes it obvious that is what they have picked the most up of. They have drawn nine of their 17 matches and only lost five. The big issue is that they have only won three matches and that figure needs a rapid improvement if the Rams are to avoid being a League 1 club next season. The biggest problem Derby have had is scoring goals. Their 13 goals is the lowest in the competition.
Bournemouth
While the struggles of Derby County are real and likely to have a dramatic effect on their Championship livelihoods, Bournemouth will also be looking to exit the division but their route out revolves around the top door rather than the bottom one. The Cherries have been the best team in the division this season and at this stage it looks like they and Fulham will battle it out for the title. Fulham moved above Bournemouth in the table on Saturday but the Cherries will move back to the top with a win here.
Bournemouth have lost just once all season and it is their form on the road which is separating them from everyone other than Fulham. They have six wins and two draws away from home and in those eight matches they have conceded just one goal. They have won 12 of their 17 matches and 10 of their last 12 so it is fair to say that the Dorset outfit are in great form. They are in a good spot but even in the Championship they will know nothing is a foregone conclusion.
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Team News
Wayne Rooney will be without right-back Nathan Byrne for this match as he serves a suspension after being sent off in the last match. Ravel Morrison served his ban in that game so he is available here but the match comes too soon for Krystian Bielik.
Scott Parker has confirmed that the Cherries will go into battle in this match without right-back Adam Smith and youngster Jordan Zemura but Bournemouth will be able to call upon the services of Jefferson Lerma, who is playing with a mask on after sustaining an injury in their last match.
Betting
We won’t get mega rich backing Bournemouth to win this match but it really is the only logical conclusion. Derby haven’t won in their last seven matches and Bournemouth have only lost once all season. If that isn’t bad enough for the Rams then Bournemouth have only conceded one goal on their travels as well. The biggest difference between these two sides, and what might be the difference maker here, is the attacking wealth the Cherries have.
They are scoring goals for fun, winning the xG in most matches they play of late. Dominic Solanke is showing his class at this level and he is being well supported in the goal department by the likes of Philip Billing. Ryan Christie is one of the best creative players in the competition and Bournemouth have full-backs who bomb forward and can overload teams. Derby really struggle for goals with the absence of a natural number nine and an aging defence which needs plenty of protection. I’m on Bournemouth here.
Tips
Back Bournemouth to beat Derby for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Betway
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