Preview: Derby County vs West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Derby County will be eyeing a third consecutive victory when they take on West Bromwich Albion in Friday's Championship encounter.

Meanwhile, Baggies boss Eric Ramsay will be desperate for a positive result after starting his tenure with back-to-back defeats.

Match preview

Derby are sitting in 10th place and just two points adrift of the playoffs after winning three of their previous four league outings, including back-to-back away wins following their FA Cup defeat to Leeds United.

The Rams returned to Championship action with a narrow 1-0 victory over Preston North End, before they claimed a 2-1 victory against Charlton Athletic on Tuesday, courtesy of an own goal and a Bobby Clark effort.

As a result of their midweek success, John Eustace's side have taken 24 points from their 14 road trips this season, leaving them with the joint-best away record in the division.

However, the Rams have struggled produce that sort of form on home turf, having won just one of their previous six league matches at Pride Park.

The hosts will at least fancy their chances of troubling the scorers, having scored in each of their last 11 Championship home games since they lost 1-0 to Preston North End in September.

They are also bidding to get the better of West Brom for the third time this season, after following a penalty shootout victory in the EFL Cup with a 1-0 success in September's reverse league fixture.

West Brom, meanwhile, have been dragged into a relegation dogfight after losing eight of their previous 10 league matches.

In fact, they head into Friday's fixture on the back of four consecutive Championship defeats - two of which have taken place under Ramsay's watch.

The 34-year-old, who left his role as Minnesota United head coach to take over the Baggies, began his tenure with an agonising 3-2 defeat against Middlesbrough, which saw Delano Burgzorg net a 90th-minute winner after West Brom had fought back from two goals down.

However, there was nothing close about Ramsay's second match at the helm, as his team conceded four second-half goals in a demoralising 5-0 loss to Norwich City at The Hawthorns on Tuesday, leaving them just three points clear of the bottom three.

West Brom now have the Championship's second-worst defensive record with 43 goals conceded in 28 matches, representing a key area for improvement if they are to move away from the danger zone.

Their hopes of beating Derby on Friday may be tempered by the fact that they have failed to win their previous six head-to-head meetings since they won 2-0 at The Hawthorns in July 2020, while their most recent away victory over the Rams took place in August 2003.

Derby County Championship form:

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Derby County form (all competitions):

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West Bromwich Albion Championship form:

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West Bromwich Albion form (all competitions):

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Team News

Derby remain without Max Johnston and Carlton Morris due to injury, while Danny Batth and Dion Sanderson are both doubts after missing the last two and three matches respectively.

Matt Clarke will serve a one-match ban after being sent off in the closing stages of the midweek win for two bookable offences.

Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was forced to pull out of Tuesday's lineup because of illness, but he will now hope to recover in time for Friday's home fixture.

As for the visitors, midfielder Ousmane Diakite remains on compassionate leave, while Tammer Bany is out for an extended period with a thigh injury.

Full-back Alex Williams stepped up his recovery with an appearance for the Under-21s on Monday, although he is not quite ready to return to the first-team fold.

Jed Wallace and Aune Heggebo are among those who could come into the starting lineup, with Ramsay searching for a winning formula in the early stages of his tenure.

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Widell Zettstrom; Ward, Langas, Forsyth, Elder; Travis, Thompson; Brereton Diaz, Clark, Blackett-Taylor; Agyemang

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Griffiths; Mepham, Phillips, Taylor; Wallace, Bielik, Styles, Iling Junior; Price, Johnston; Heggebo

We say: Derby County 2-1 West Bromwich Albion

Derby have found wins to come by in recent home games, but they will view Friday's game as an opportunity to take three points off a team low on confidence.

The Rams have also won each of their last four league matches against West Brom, and we think they will continue that streak with a narrow victory on Friday.

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