Pick of the stats: Derby County v Swansea Citypublished at 15:26 BST 27 August
15:26 BST 27 August
A win for Swansea City in this meeting with Derby County (12:30 BST) could send the Welsh side top of the Championship.
The Rams are hoping to record their first win of the campaign after defeat by Charlton and a draw against the Swans' rivals Cardiff City.
Derby County did the league double over Swansea City last season (2-1 away, 2-0 home) but have never won three in a row against the Swans in the Football League.
Swansea City have won just one of their past seven Championship away games against Derby County (D2 L4), a 2-1 victory in November 2024.
Derby have won six of their past eight home league games, though are winless across their past two (D1 L1) which includes a 2-2 draw against Welsh opponents Cardiff last time out at Pride Park.
Swansea are unbeaten across their past five away league games (W3 D2), last enjoying a longer run on the road between February and November 2020 (11 games).
Derby's Carlton Morris has scored three goals across his past five league appearances against Swansea City, while he also netted against Welsh side Cardiff City last time out.
Derby are also closing in on a loan deal for Pisa's Danish striker Henrik Meister. The Rams will pay a £1.3m loan fee and will have the option to buy the 22-year-old for about £7.7m. (SestaPorta - in Italian), external
Gossip: Rams reignite interest in Brereton Diazpublished at 10:28 BST 26 August
10:28 BST 26 August
Derby County have registered an interest to bring Southampton and Chile forward Ben Brereton Diaz, 27, back to Pride Park on another loan after a successful spell at the club last season, however the Saints would prefer a permanent deal. (Football Insider, external)
Derby display marred by 'poor defending' - Christiepublished at 17:21 BST 24 August
17:21 BST 24 August
Image source, Shutterstock
Image caption,
Former Rams striker Malcolm Christie was impressed by the display of Corey Blackett-Taylor (right) against Cardiff City
Despite a high-energy start from Derby County during their 2-2 draw with Cardiff City on Saturday, former Rams striker Malcolm Christie felt their defensive errors undermined the Rams' threat in attack.
"Other than scoring an early goal, it was the perfect start for the Rams," Christie told BBC Radio Derby.
"Cardiff looked nervous, we pressed high with intent. Corey Blackett-Taylor was at the heart of a lot of the good, positive stuff that we'd done, he just ran out of steam.
"You just hope you go on and stamp your authority on the game having started so well, but it was Cardiff that went in the ascendancy aided by some really poor defending.
"You almost want to take out the really good bits of that first-half performance and forget a lot of the defensive."
Individual errors, defensive wobbles, not being clinical enough with early chances, and head coach John Eustace bringing Ryan Nyambe on to shore up the defence in the closing stages, rather than opting for the attacking threat of Filip Bilbija to try and win the game.
However, despite coming away from Pride Park feeling frustrated with all of those things, and only taking a point at home to a team who are tipped for relegation with a pretty poor performance overall, I still don't believe this is the style of football and type of result we're going to see consistently throughout the season.
I look back to last season when we shipped eight goals in our first two matches, and were only able to secure our first win after five matches had been played. That victory ended up being the only one we saw in our first 10 league games.
Thinking back on that, I don't feel worried about the Rams' disappointing start to this campaign.
Maybe there's an element of expectation after how well we managed to develop across last season, and how much improvement we made to get ourselves into the play-off picture with only a handful of games remaining.
However, this Derby team is without so many players who were key to mounting that play-off push. Patrick Agyemang, Ben Brereton Diaz, David Ozoh, and Jayden Banel all made a huge difference to the quality of Derby's performances and results.
It is no secret that Derby need to add greater quality out wide before the transfer window closes. Even simply bringing Brereton Diaz back into the fold would make a significant difference to how effective the Rams could be in the final third.
Similarly, bringing someone like Ozoh back would add much needed legs and energy to the midfield. His ability to cover ground, take risks on the ball, and drive the Rams up the pitch would completely change the dynamic of the side.
This Derby team isn't missing an awful lot. Two or three signings that could come straight in as first-team starters, and you're looking at almost a carbon copy of what happened last season.
A poor start doesn't equate to a poor season.
Two underwhelming results and performances out of 46 are not going to define Derby's season. We will play worse than we did on Saturday and win games, we will play better and lose, that is simply the reality of Championship football.
Burnley and West Ham United are two teams that have been tipped to bounce straight back to the Premier League and achieve promotion this season. Both of which have had exactly the same starts to the campaign as the Rams.
The first couple of months of the season are not worth passing judgement on.
Only towards mid-October, about six weeks after the transfer window has closed, will supporters get a much clearer picture of what Derby may or may not go on to achieve this season.
The table will begin to take true shape, new signings will have had time to bed in, and Eustace should be able to select a fairly consistent preferred starting lineup.
It will be a case of being patient and calm until then, hoping for a productive final week in the transfer market, and getting behind the team as they find their rhythm again.
Gossip: Rams eye attacking duopublished at 11:25 BST 24 August
11:25 BST 24 August
Derby are keen on a loan move for West Brom and Republic of Ireland winger Mikey Johnston, 27, and Ipswich and Albania attacking midfielder Anis Mehmeti, 25. (Alan Nixon, via subscription, external)
'Is patience required for Derby?'published at 17:11 BST 23 August
17:11 BST 23 August
Sam Fletcher BBC Final Score reporter
Image source, Getty Images
The pressure is on.
Before Derby's first home game of the season there was already talk of tension.
Rams fans are unhappy due to an unpleasant melting pot of a scrapped takeover, "disappointing" signings, key player injuries and a distinct lack of points.
The first five minutes of the 2-2 draw with Cardiff appeared to be a powerful response with a flurry of genuine chances and breathless action from Derby.
However, it was the visitors who first netted first, starting a fun and flowing 60 minutes of end-to-end football.
A packed Pride Park was easily silenced.
Despite the intense action, some great individual performances from the likes of Corey Blackett-Taylor and Carlton Morris and their first league point, Derby fans groaned at the full-time whistle.
Only two games in - granted without a win yet - is patience required instead of talk of pressure?
Derby's Clarke set to miss three monthspublished at 15:51 BST 20 August
15:51 BST 20 August
Image source, Getty Images
Derby County defender Matt Clarke has been ruled out for three months in a "huge blow" to the side, boss John Eustace has confirmed.
The 29-year-old missed out on the Rams' opening Championship game against Charlton Athletic last weekend with a calf injury.
Left-back Derry Murkin is also set for a long period on the sidelines with an expected absence of four months with the hamstring issue he picked up at the end of last season.
"It's quite a big setback for him, a big setback for us as well," Eustace said.
"The most important thing is his mental health, making sure he's okay. There will be opportunities for him to help the group, not just on-field but off as well."
Meanwhile, forward Sam Szmodics is "touch and go" as to whether he can appear in the side's first home game of the campaign against Cardiff on Saturday (15:00 BST) after picking up a thigh injury.
🎧 Taking a deeper look at the squadpublished at 10:38 BST 20 August
10:38 BST 20 August
Media caption,
Rams Weekly - A deeper look at the squad
A new episode of BBC Radio Derby's Rams Weekly podcast is now available.
Former Derby County striker Malcolm Christie is joined by Dominic Dietrich to dissect the Rams' squad after a 2-1 loss on the opening day of the Championship to Charlton Athletic.
Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.
Pick of the stats: Derby County v Cardiff Citypublished at 09:24 BST 20 August
09:24 BST 20 August
It is 100 years since these two sides first met in a league game.
On that day in 1926, Derby won 6-3 with the first four meetings producing 27 goals between them - something similar on Saturday (15:00 BST) would certainly keep the Pride Park crowd entertained.
Derby County have won just one of their past eight league games against Cardiff City (D2 L5), though that sole victory came in their last home fixture against the Welsh side – a 1-0 win in September 2024.
Cardiff City have won just one of their past five away league games against Derby County (D2 L2), scoring exactly one goal in four of those matches.
Derby are hoping to avoid losing their opening two league games of a campaign for the second consecutive season; prior to that, the Rams had only suffered that fate once since 2005-06 onwards (in 2020-21).
Cardiff have failed to win their opening away league game of a campaign in each of the past four seasons (D2 L2), with their last in the Championship ending in a 5-0 hammering at Burnley in 2024.
New Derby signing Alex Mowatt has netted three goals across 16 league matches against Cardiff – his joint-most against any team during his career.
Glimpses of positivity despite Rams defeatpublished at 15:05 BST 17 August
15:05 BST 17 August
Amelia Warren Derby County fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Derby County do not have the best opening day record, with their last win coming in July 2022, when they secured a 1-0 victory at home to Oxford United in League One.
It felt as though they were on course to break that curse after 45 minutes at The Valley on Saturday, as they took a 1-0 lead into the interval courtesy of a well-worked breakaway and a composed finish from Sam Szmodics.
However, despite Derby's lively start, history did in fact repeat itself. A second-half turnaround from Charlton Athletic saw the Rams fall to a 2-1 defeat, and yet another opening day loss.
Dropping points from a winning position was perhaps the most frustrating part of the result, something they were found guilty of far too often last season. Frustrations also came from some questionable substitutions, with a feeling John Eustace left it too long to make his attacking changes, only doing so once the damage had been done.
Despite the disappointing result, there were still some glimpses of positivity to take from the afternoon in south London.
Newest addition Alex Mowatt looked composed on the ball, progressed the Rams forward on a couple of occasions, and was defensively solid in midfield.
Szmodics looks as though he has come back to Derby fired up and with a point to prove having now scored two goals in two matches. He was a constant nuisance to the Charlton defence, running himself into the ground to apply pressure and feeding off Carlton Morris to get into some dangerous positions.
Corey Blackett-Taylor once again impressed off the bench, this time against his former club, looking confident on the ball and aiming to beat his man every time he received a pass on the left-hand side.
For the final 10 minutes pretty much everything Derby created came through him and with his Rams future in doubt, he appears to be putting up a solid fight for his place in Eustace's long-term plans.
In the end it did just feel like Derby ran out of legs in the second half. They were not battered by Charlton and actually strung together some impressive passages of play, particularly in the first period.
What is apparent is the need to sign two or three more players to complete the squad, and provide a little bit of extra depth - particularly out wide.
I have full confidence Derby would have been much better prepared for the season's opener had Turki Alalshikh not pulled out of his investment deal. Because of that, they are now operating on 'plan B', which will mean patience among the fan base will be important for the first few games.
Mistakes will be made, and Derby will look leggy at times. However, I believe the foundations are there for this side to compete in the top half of the Championship.
Once players like Derry Murkin and Rhian Brewster get back to full fitness and a couple of new additions start to bed in I believe the Rams will start to have a lot more joy.
Albion can't be affected by Mowatt exit - Morrisonpublished at 13:45 BST 17 August
13:45 BST 17 August
Image source, Shutterstock
Image caption,
Albion boss James Morrison has lost only two of his 14 games in charge since taking over in February
West Bromwich Albion head coach James Morrison says the thing that most frustrated him about captain Alex Mowatt's eve-of-season exit to Derby County was the timing of it.
And Morrison is now only looking forward after Albion's third successive opening-day Championship win in as many seasons.
"It's just football," Morrison told BBC Radio WM. "There's a little bit of a hangover. But am I going to let it derail me? No. I've got to lead the team and set an example and show that it can't affect us.
"The timing of it was the most disappointing thing for me. We'd been doing so much work - and him doing really well too. He's been the glue on the pitch and in the dressing room.
"But I can see both sides. It's a good opportunity for Alex - and for him to get the extra years too."
Albion's next key dates are this Sunday's opening home game of the campaign against relegated Burnley, followed by two tough trips to the North East, the Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle on Wednesday, 26 August and the lunchtime kick-off at Middlesbrough three days later.
Albion then do not play again until 2 September, at home to Charlton Athletic, the day after the summer transfer window closes.
But, despite losing another midfielder, Ousmane Diakité, early in the second half at Carrow Road with what looked like an injury, Morrison said his only concern is replacing Mowatt.
"I'd like to bring in another one to replace Alex, " he said. "As for Ousmane, he has an ice pack on, but he's stronger than he thinks."
Pick of the stats: Charlton Athletic v Derby Countypublished at 10:53 BST 14 August
10:53 BST 14 August
Image source, Opta
Charlton and Derby get their new Championship season under way with a meeting at The Valley on Saturday (15:00 BST).
The Addicks, who began the campaign with an EFL Cup win at Cheltenham last weekend, are unbeaten in seven seasons on the opening day, winning five of those games, most recently 1-0 at home to Watford last year.
The Rams exited the EFL Cup at home to Lincoln and have seen a proposed takeover fall through in recent days while their 3-1 defeat at Stoke last season was their third straight defeat on the opening day.
Charlton Athletic have lost their past two home league games against Derby, only losing more consecutively between December 1946 and May 1951 (5).
Derby County have lost just one of their previous five league meetings with Charlton Athletic (W3 D1); a 2-1 defeat in February 2024.
Charlton lost five of their final eight league games last season (W1 D2), while only Sheffield Wednesday (12.7%) spent a lower proportion of their games in a winning position than the Addicks (16.5%) in the Championship last term.
Derby lost six of their final eight away games last season (W2), though did win their most recent match at QPR in April (3-2).
Carlton Morris' 12 league goals for Derby last season was his second-most in a single campaign in the top four tiers, behind his 20 for Luton Town in 2022-23; five of his goals in 2025-26 came from corners, more than anybody else.
Gossip: Rams eye Mowatt and Brereton Diazpublished at 10:42 BST 13 August
10:42 BST 13 August
Derby are in talks with West Brom over a move for 31-year-old midfielder Alex Mowatt and the Rams also remain keen on bringing 27-year-old Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz back to Pride Park from Southampton. (John Percy, external)
