Derby County vs Cardiff City - prediction, team news, lineups

By Darren Plant | 20 Aug 2026 11:37, Last updated: 20 Aug 2026 18:05

Derby County play big to Cardiff City connected Saturday day looking to extremity a losing commencement to the 2026-27 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Welsh giants marque the travel to Pride Park looking to physique connected Monday's melodramatic gully with rivals Wrexham.

Match preview

A fig of weeks ago, fans of Derby were excited implicit the imaginable of a big-money takeover and optimistic for the commencement of the caller season.

Now, the Rams person seen that aforementioned takeover scrapped and their squad endure successive 2-1 defeats.

The EFL Cup exit astatine location to Lincoln City was a blow, but John Eustace would person been furious with the aforesaid effect astatine Charlton Athletic past weekend.

Derby had held a pb heading into the hr mark, earlier the Addicks turned the crippled connected its caput to unafraid a connection win.

With Derby having besides warmed up for the caller play by failing to bushed the likes of Burton Albion and Rotherham United, Eustace volition person concerns implicit the trajectory of his squad up of facing opponents connected the up.

Cardiff brag Brian Barry-Murphy volition admit that his broadside person been acold from their champion crossed games against Swindon Town successful the EFL Cup and Wrexham.

However, connected some occasions, the Bluebirds person rallied during the closing stages, netting a 77th-minute victor successful a 3-2 triumph implicit Swindon and scoring a last-gasp escaped footwear to gully with Wrexham.

The scenes that followed Rubin Colwill's sublime acceptable portion volition unrecorded agelong successful the representation astatine the Cardiff City Stadium, and they tin enactment arsenic a springboard for their archetypal twelvemonth backmost successful the 2nd tier.

That said, Barry-Murphy volition person concerns with however galore goals and chances that Cardiff are giving away, They person not kept a cleanable expanse successful immoderate game, including friendlies, since a 1-0 triumph implicit Port Vale connected April 22.

Derby County Championship form:

Derby County signifier (all competitions):

Cardiff City Championship form:

Cardiff City signifier (all competitions):

Team News

With Sammie Szmodics carrying a thigh issue, Larg-Jorgen Salvesen could beryllium brought into the attack.

Alex Mowatt, a caller signing from West Bromwich Albion, whitethorn get the motion implicit Oscar Fraulo.

However, defender Matt Clarke has been ruled retired for astatine slightest 2 weeks done injury.

Rubin Colwill volition expect a callback to the Cardiff XI aft his extremity against Wrexham. Ollie Tanner could beryllium the 1 to miss out.

The remainder of the squad whitethorn stay the same, providing that Gabriel Osho shakes disconnected a genu issue, with Dylan Lawlor, Calum Chambers and Will Fish each remaining connected the sidelines.

Derby County imaginable starting lineup:

Zetterstrom; Ward, Langas, Sanderson, Forsyth, Taylor; Mowatt, Travis, Clark; Morris, Salvesen

Cardiff City imaginable starting lineup:

Trott; Ng, Osho, Bagan, Scanlon; Robertson; Ashford, Moylan, R.Colwill, Willock; Salech

We say: Derby County 2-1 Cardiff City

With momentum connected their broadside aft the Wrexham tussle, Cardiff volition instrumentality assurance into the crippled successful the East Midlands. Nevertheless, Derby cognize that they request to up their level, and Eustace whitethorn instruct his players to propulsion for each 3 points successful what volition apt beryllium a choky contest.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.