Prediction: 0-1
Tip: Goals Under 2.5 / Colin Kazim-Richards to score any time
Key Points:
1. Derby have the fourth best defence in the league, and Forest the sixth
2. Only one goal was scored in all of Forest's last three matches
3. Colin Kazim-Richards has scored three goals in his last five matches
Under a cloud of seemingly imminent doom, Derby County travel to face their old rivals Nottingham Forest in the famous East Midlands Derby. The visitors have shown more fight this season than perhaps any other team in the division to be in the position they are, with escape from the bottom three within reach. Four wins from their last five Championship games lifted them off the bottom of the table and they are now just eight points adrift of safety with 22 games to play.
The Rams are currently third in the league form table over the past six matches. It won't be easy for Derby to keep this form going until the end of the season and pull off arguably the greatest escape in history but they will certainly keep trying. Despite being docked 21 points by the EFL and working with a threadbare squad, Wayne Rooney has got fans dreaming of the unthinkable and another three points against their bitter rivals here will make it seem even more real.
Forest are in decent form themselves with three wins from their last five. Boss Steve Cooper will have an outside shot at the playoffs in mind with his side sitting five points behind 6th place Middlesbrough. Victory over Derby could see them move up to 8th and edge that little bit closer to the top six.
While this match is likely to be full of grit and determination, we don't think it will be heavy on goals. Derby and Forest have the fourth and sixth best defensive records in the league respectively. All of the hosts' last three games have ended 1-0 (two wins and one defeat) and six of Derby's last nine games have featured two goals or fewer.
We see it being a cagey affair decided by one or maybe two goals. That's why we are backing Goals Under 2.5 and making a correct score prediction of 1-0 Derby. Keep an eye out for Colin Kazim-Richards to get the deciding goal as he's scored three goals in five matches. Think about backing him to be an any time scorer.
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