Burton Albion host Derby County in League One this weekend.
The Brewers faced Blackpool on the opening day and fell to a 2-0 defeat. Dino Maamria’s side ended last season well and there was hope this time around they would enjoy a much safer campaign.
Derby County will be targeting promotion this season. They were probably surprised to lose on the opening day, but Wigan Athletic are a strong side and the Rams will be more than good enough to bounce back here. It shouldn’t be considered too much but they also lost against Blackpool in the cup midweek.
Ahead of the clash, a handful of our writers have made their predictions…
Thomas Kelly-Hansford
“Burton Albion have been up against it for sometime now, but Maamria’s appointment seemed to have the club heading in the right direction and it seemed last season they just lacked a little bit of consistency to kick on in the third tier.
“The Rams can’t let the Tics defeat derail their campaign. They will see this weekend as the perfect opportunity to pick up their first points of the season, but I think there’s some added pressure on them following the Blackpool result in the cup. They know they really need to get their first win of the season so they can begin to relax and play their game.
“I can see this game being a very tight affair played in a good atmosphere given the occasion. I think that will benefit the home side, but I think despite a strong showing they will come away empty handed.”
Score prediction: Burton Albion 1-2 Derby County
Luke Phelps
“Already, this feels like a must-win game for Derby County. Expectations are high once again and after a disappointing performance in midweek, this Burton game now looks like a pivotal one in shaping the Rams’ start to the season.
“Burton aren’t pushovers. They’re capable of upsetting the big teams in the league and they’ll be right up for the challenge this weekend.
“For me though, Derby’s League One quality and experience will shine through this weekend, giving them the win they need to get the ball rolling.”
Score prediction: Burton Albion 0-2 Derby County
