STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Fri: Derby v Portsmouth

Two sides looking to boost their hopes of Championship survival do battle at Pride Park on Friday evening as Derby County take on Portsmouth, writes JOE CITRONE.

Considering many had tipped the Rams for a season of struggle after promotion from League One last season, it hasn’t been an awful start to the campaign for Paul Warne’s men.

Derby currently sit in 17th-place in the league table, but could are without a win in their last six games, and will be desperate to avoid being sucked into a dogfight at the wrong end of the table.

A win over Portsmouth on Friday night would restore that healthy cushion between themselves at the bottom-three, but a defeat could drag them towards the mire as we enter the hectic festive period of the Championship season.

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Derby County v Portsmouth
Championship
20:00 Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Ultra HDR

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
APR 2024 LEAGUE ONE Portsmouth 2-2 Derby
SEP 2023 LEAGUE ONE Derby 1-1 Portsmouth
APR 2023 LEAGUE ONE Derby 1-1 Portsmouth
NOV 2022 LEAGUE ONE Portsmouth 0-0 Derby
AUG 2015 LEAGUE CUP Portsmouth 2-1 Derby

DERBY
DEC 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Burnley 0-0 Derby
DEC 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Leeds 2-0 Derby
DEC 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Derby 1-2 Sheff Wed
NOV 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Derby 1-2 Swansea
NOV 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Preston 1-1 Derby

PORTSMOUTH
DEC 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Portsmouth 0-0 Norwich
DEC 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Portsmouth 3-0 Bristol City
NOV 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Swansea 2-2 Portsmouth
NOV 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Portsmouth 3-1 Preston
NOV 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth 1-0 Portsmouth

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In contrast to their Friday opponents, Portsmouth had an absolutely wretched start to the season but have started to get their act together in recent weeks.

Spearheaded by the brilliance of Josh Murphy, John Mousinho’s side have started to pick up recently with two wins and three draws from their last six games lifting them out of the Championship’s bottom-three.

A victory over Derby on Friday night would create a nice, little cushion between Pompey and the bottom-three, something that would have seemed inexplicable just a few weeks ago when Mousinho’s men were rooted to the bottom of the table.

Bizarrely, the last four meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw, and I think it could become five in a row on Friday night. That is what I am backing at 11/5 with starsports.bet for this intriguing Championship clash.

Also, considering the form he’s in, I can’t turn my nose up at a price of 21/4 with starsports.bet for Murphy to score anytime.

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BACK Draw 2pts at 11/5 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
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(NOV 2024): PROFIT/LOSS: +7.98 POINTS

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