Seventh placed Derby County entertain fifth placed Middlesbrough on Saturday, with both teams in need of a vital three points in the battle for a Playoff place.
Derby have fallen out of form at just the wrong end of the season, something which seems to becoming a common occurrence as the seasons go by. The Rams have lost their last two games, including a 3-1 defeat to relegation strugglers Burton Albion. Despite challenging for automatic promotion for most of the season, a worrying slide in results has see County slip out of the playoff places. A win for the Rams could see them leapfrog their opponents, with just a point to separate the two sides.
Middlesbrough travel to Derby in poor form on the road . Boro have won just one of their last seven away Championship games, losing three and drawing three. Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson relieved Gary Monk of his managerial duties and brought in Tony Pulis during December. The team from the Riverside have flourished under the former West Brom boss and he has guided Boro into Playoff contention.
Derby will be boosted by the return of both Andi Weimann and Kasey Palmer at Pride Park on Saturday. Captain Richard Keogh is also available to Gary Rowett if he elects to make a change to his back four. Championship top scorer Matej Vydra has scored five goals in his last four league starts against Middlesbrough, netting a hat-trick in this season’s reverse fixture (Opta).
Middlesbrough will look to put a bit of light between themselves and the chasing pack on Saturday. Pulis, however, has confirmed that former Derby loanee Patrick Bamford will not be risked following injury against Bristol City.
The Northerners will fancy their chances against an out of form Derby, and victory would almost guarantee a Playoff spot. However, a win for the home side would see them do the double over Boro for the first time since 1989.
