Derby County is set to clash with Cardiff City this Saturday in the 2024/25 Championship season, marking the fifth matchday. The Rams have exhibited remarkable form at Pride Park Stadium, aiming to extend their winning streak to nine league games at home. This impressive run dates back to a 3-0 triumph over Port Vale in March, during their tenure in League One under Paul Warne.
Starting the new campaign solidly, Derby has triumphed in both of its home fixtures without conceding a goal but is yet to secure points on the road. In their recent game, they secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Bristol City, courtesy of goals by Kenzo Goudmijn, Kayden Jackson, and David Ozoh. On the flip side, Cardiff has struggled early in the season, currently sitting at the bottom of the league with only one point.
Derby’s squad will welcome back Ben Osborn for the Cardiff encounter at Pride Park after his injury setback in the previous month’s win over Middlesbrough. Meanwhile, Kane Wilson nears his return following his injury against Boro, joining Eiran Cashin on the road to recovery after his concussion incident with Callum Elder.
However, Tawanda Chirewa is sidelined due to a head injury sustained while representing Zimbabwe, ruling him out of the Cardiff clash as well as the subsequent match against Sheffield United. Jake Rooney is on the road to full-time training after an ACL injury setback in pre-season.
The addition of loan signings Marcus Harness and Nat Phillips from Ipswich Town and Liverpool, respectively, offers Derby fresh options. Phillips, who previously played for Cardiff, could make an impact against his former team.
Today’s fixture marks the first meeting between the two clubs since the 2021/22 season finale, where Cardiff emerged victorious. Derby’s last win against Cardiff dates back to April 2018 under Gary Rowett’s management.
Derby has struggled against their opponents, coming out victorious in only 18 out of 69 encounters. In contrast, Cardiff boasts 32 wins in their matchups. Since the Championship began in 2004/05, these two teams have faced each other 30 times, marking the second most played fixture in the league’s history. The record falls behind only Preston North End vs QPR, with 32 clashes between them.