Nottingham Forest travel to Pride Park on Saturday to take on Derby County in the 106th East Midlands derby. The grudge match will earn the winner both the Brian Clough Trophy and a huge boost in the playoff race.
Derby County Host Nottingham Forest in Decisive East Midlands Derby
The Championship Table
Forest sit fourth on 67 points, seven ahead of their neighbours Derby who are a point outside the play-offs.
The two sides have already faced off twice this season, in both the league and cup, with the Reds coming out on top in both.
Sabri Lamouchi’s men saw off a weak Rams side 3-0 in the Carabao Cup all the way back in August before star striker Lewis Grabban sealed a 1-0 league win at the City Ground in December.
Toughest Test Since Restart for Derby
As of late, Phillip Cocu’s side have been the form team having won their last five Championship fixtures. Apart from a loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth-round, Derby have been unbeaten at home since December.
Yet, since the restart, none of their opponents have been in the top six – their next five all are.
This season, Forest have been hit and miss on the road. The Reds played out a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday in which they conceded in stoppage time last weekend. However, they did pick up important points on their travels prior to lockdown, beating Cardiff and Brentford as well as drawing at West Brom.
A Grudge Match Unlike No Other
The East Midlands derby is typically a passionate and full-blooded affair with sellout crowds on either side of the A52, however, this derby day will be like no other before it.
Empty seats aplenty, no crowds to rile up players to make those big tackles and none of that tension around the ground in the build-up to kick-off. Of course, fans will still be nervous, chanting passionately in front of their TVs from home; but it won’t compare to that partisan feeling synonymous with derby day.
Derby County have a scintillating home record this season. They are unbeaten in eight at Pride Park and have the joint-best home defence by conceding just 0.7 goals per game.
But, without a sea of black and white cheering them on in one of the biggest games of the season, could it be the side in Garibaldi red with the upper hand?
Derby and Forest Team News
The Rams are confident that Jayden Bogle should be fit for Saturday lunchtime despite being forced off injured in their 1-0 win over Preston on Wednesday. However, Derby will remain without long-term absentees Krystian Bielik and Jack Marriott.
It appears unlikely that Andre Wisdom will feature in the Derby back-four again this season as he recovers from a brutal stabbing attack that happened last Sunday. Attacker Tom Lawrence is sitting out the second of a three-match ban following a red card last weekend.
Forest are hopeful that attacker Joe Lolley will feature in the local derby despite picking up a knock in their 1-0 win over Bristol City.
Prediction: Derby County 1-1 Nottingham Forest
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