Derby County vs Birmingham City: Prediction, Team News, and Lineups Preview
Derby County host Birmingham City at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon. Both teams are chasing a return to playoff contention.
Match context
John Eustace has reshaped Derby since his February 2025 appointment. The 46-year-old turned a relegation fight into a push for the top six.
Derby arrived at Pride Park after a 1-0 win at Portsmouth. Sammie Szmodics scored in the eighth minute to decide that match.
Recent form
Derby have won three of their last four Championship fixtures. They sit eighth and trail the playoff places by three points.
The Rams have surprisingly collected fewer points at home than away this season. Still, they have won three consecutive home matches.
Derby attacking picture
Carlton Morris has been sidelined after a long-term injury. Patrick Agyemang has filled the attacking void.
The 25-year-old Agyemang has attracted transfer links. Clubs such as Leeds United and Crystal Palace have been mentioned.
Birmingham form and issues
Birmingham beat QPR convincingly midweek before drawing with Sheffield United. Marvin Ducksch netted from a free kick in that draw.
Femi Seriki was sent off against the Blades. Patrick Bamford levelled the score for Sheffield United.
Home and away records
Birmingham have won only three of their last 10 home league games. Their home record reads W3 D6 L1 over that span.
On the road, they have mixed results. Wins at Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday were followed by defeats at Millwall and Middlesbrough.
Head-to-head and history
This will be the first meeting at Pride Park since January 2022. Krystian Bielik’s late bicycle kick secured Derby a point in that encounter.
Form guide
| Derby County | Birmingham City |
|---|---|
| L L W W L W | W L L L W D |
Team News
Derby remain without first-choice goalkeeper Jacob Zetterstrom. He is out with a muscular problem.
Centre-back options are limited too. Danny Batth (muscle) and Sondre Langas (hamstring) are unavailable.
Birmingham face multiple absences at left-back. Kai Wagner (thigh), Alex Cochrane (ankle) and Lee Buchanan (knee) are all sidelined.
Ethan Laird is likely to start on the left for a third successive match. Jack Robinson should return to the defence next to Christoph Klarer.
Possible lineups
Below are the expected starting XIs. This acts as a practical lineups preview for readers.
- Derby County: O’Donnell; Ward, Sanderson, Clarke, Murkin; Travis, Clark, Brereton Diaz, Szmodics, Brewster; Agyemang.
- Birmingham City: Beadle; Iwata, Klarer, Robinson, Laird; Solis, Paik, Vicente, Ducksch, Gray; Stansfield.
Prediction
Derby should be confident at Pride Park after recent results. Birmingham need an away positive to keep playoff hopes alive.
Our Derby County vs Birmingham City prediction sees a draw. A 1-1 scoreline looks likely given both sides’ current dynamics.
For readers interested in a compact Derby County vs Birmingham City team news and lineups preview, Filmogaz.com will publish further updates. Check back for confirmed squads closer to kick-off.
