Preview: Derby County vs Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Middlesbrough will head on their travels for their New Year’s Day clash against Derby County at Pride Park.

Boro are sitting in second spot in the Championship table, while the Rams will start 2026 in 14th position.

Match preview

After finishing just a point clear of the drop last term, 14th-placed Derby will be content with their current midtable position, having collected 32 points from their 24 league games.

With that said, they will hope that the new year will bring an upturn in fortunes after winning just one of their final seven matches of 2025 (D3, L3).

Their only victory in that period took place against basement side Sheffield Wednesday - a result that was followed by 1-1 draws against Portsmouth and Birmingham City.

However, Derby were unable to take anything from their final outing of the calendar year, with Rhian Brewster’s first-half equaliser proving fruitless in a 2-1 defeat against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

John Eustace's side will now return to Pride Park, where they have gone four games without a win since beating Hull City at the start of November.

The Rams have struggled to keep their opponents at bay on home turf, having shipped 18 goals in 12 matches at Pride Park, with only two teams conceding more this season.

Middlesbrough may be in second spot, but their promotion campaign has lost momentum with a return of one point from their last three matches.

After losing 2-0 to Bristol City, Middlesbrough finished the calendar year with a goalless draw against Blackburn Rovers and a narrow 1-0 defeat against Hull City.

As a result of their dip in form, Middlesbrough are now eight points adrift of leaders Coventry City and are just two points better off than Ipswich Town and Hull in third and fourth place respectively.

After suffering their second Championship home defeat of the season, Boro will attempt to get their promotion bid back on track in their second meeting with Derby in little over a month.

Kim Hellberg's side have the chance to complete a league double over the Rams after recording a 2-1 success in November's home clash following efforts from Matt Targett and Morgan Whittaker.

However, achieving the league double will be easier said than done for a club that have failed to win their last five away meetings with Derby since a 2-1 triumph in April 2018.

Derby County Championship form:

L D W D D L

Middlesbrough Championship form:

W W W L D L

Team News

Derby remain without the injured trio of Max Johnston, David Ozoh and Carlton Morris, while Bobby Clark is a doubt after being forced off against Leicester.

Joe Ward is set to return to the side after serving a one-match ban for his dismissal in the Boxing Day draw with Birmingham City.

Lewis Travis made his long-awaited return from injury as a late subsitute on Monday, and he could be given more minutes from the bench in Thursday's fixture.

Meanwhile, Boro are facing a central defensive injury crisis, with Dael Fry, George Edmundson and Alfie Jones all fitness doubts.

Midfielder Riley McGree remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while forward David Strelec will have to be assessed after he sat out Monday’s defeat.

Aidan Morris and Delano Burgzorg could come into Hellberg’s thinking if changes are made for the away trip.

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Widell Zetterstrom; Langas, Sanderson, Clarke; Ward, Thompson, Adams, Elder; Brereton Diaz, Agyemang; Brewster

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Targett, Bangura; Morris, Browne; Whittaker, Hackney, Burgzorg; Conway

We say: Derby County 1-1 Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough may have prevailed in the reverse fixture, but they have not beaten Derby at Pride Park since 2018, and with that in mind, we think the promotion hopefuls will have to settle for a point on New Year's Day.

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