Done Deal: Derby County Has Signed Nottingham Forest Star Chris Wood After…………read more.

Done Deal: Derby County Has Signed Nottingham Forest Star Chris Wood After…………read more.

Looking to build on their midweek EFL Cup success, Derby County will aim for their first Championship win of the season as they host an in-form Middlesbrough at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Rams suffered a defeat in their Championship opener last weekend, while Middlesbrough secured a narrow victory over Swansea City to kick off their competitive campaign.

**Match Preview: Derby vs. Middlesbrough – Prediction, Team News, Lineups**

Returning to the Championship after a two-year absence, Derby County couldn’t take anything positive from their visit to Ewood Park last Friday, where second-half goals from Curtis Nelson and Kane Wilson only served as consolation in a 4-2 loss to Blackburn Rovers.

The Rams displayed typical vulnerabilities of a newly-promoted team as Tyrhys Dolan, Andreas Weimann, Yuki Ohashi, and last season’s Golden Boot winner Sammie Szmodics all found the back of Josh Vickers’ net, marking the first time Derby conceded four goals in a competitive match since February 2023.

One silver lining for Derby in their Lancashire defeat was veteran winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who provided two assists on the opening weekend. The 32-year-old is expected to be a key offensive contributor following the departures of last season’s standout players Conor Hourihane and Martyn Waghorn.

Derby manager Paul Warne faced mounting pressure on Tuesday night when Chesterfield’s Armando Dobra scored in the first-round EFL Cup clash at Pride Park. However, Derby managed to avoid an upset and advanced to the next round with goals from Liam Thompson and substitute Kayden Jackson.

To avoid a swift return to League One, Derby will need to make Pride Park a stronghold this season. They were formidable at home during the 2023-24 campaign, conceding only 18 goals in 23 third-tier matches.

**Preview: Derby vs. Middlesbrough – Prediction, Team News, Lineups**

With the first week of the 2024-25 season behind them, Middlesbrough have excelled in both Championship and EFL Cup action against Swansea City and Leeds United, respectively, scoring four goals and keeping clean sheets in both matches.

Emmanuel Latte Lath, who is expected to be among the top scorers this season, confidently converted a penalty to secure all three points in Middlesbrough’s opening match against Swansea.

Boro’s fringe players then took center stage on Wednesday night at Elland Road, where second-half goals from Anfernee Dijksteel, summer signing Delano Burgzorg, and striker Josh Coburn secured a surprising 3-0 victory over Daniel Farke’s Leeds in the EFL Cup.

It was a memorable night for right-back Dijksteel, who scored his first goal for Middlesbrough since joining from Charlton Athletic five years ago, breaking a 131-match goal drought to the delight of Boro supporters.

With a £4.5m move for Bristol City striker Tommy Conway nearing completion, Coburn’s impressive performance at Elland Road will significantly enhance his chances of earning first-team minutes at the Riverside this season, though the youngster could still leave the club before the summer transfer window closes.