Derby County welcome Sunderland to Pride Park on Tuesday evening for a Championship fixture, with both sides looking to improve their recent form. The Rams enter the match following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Watford at the weekend, while the Black Cats come into the contest after picking up a creditable goalless draw at Burnley. The midweek clash sees two of English football's traditional clubs face off as they both aim to get back to winning ways in the second tier.
Watch Derby County vs Sunderland AFC live on TV and via live streaming
The Championship clash between Derby and the Black Cats will be shown live on Sky Sports+ Plus for UK viewers, while bet365 customers in Britain can also stream the match through their betting platform.
Expert predictions for Derby County vs Sunderland AFC
The bookies have sized up the League One clash between Derby and the Black Cats, with neither side emerging as an overwhelming favourite. The numbers suggest the Rams have a slight edge with a 39% chance of victory at Pride Park, while Sunderland's win probability sits at around 34%. The possibility of points being shared stands at a reasonable 27%, reflecting the potentially tight nature of this fixture. Looking at bet365's odds, there's an interesting contrast to the probability figures, with Sunderland actually being priced as favourites at 2.1, while Derby are considered underdogs at 3.5. The draw is valued at 3.3, suggesting the bookmakers see this as a tricky match to call despite leaning towards an away win. This discrepancy between raw probabilities and betting odds could present some value for punters fancying Derby to nick it at home.
Derby County Recent Performances
Derby County's recent home form has been concerning, with the Rams failing to score in their last two matches at Pride Park. A 2-0 defeat to Watford followed a 1-0 loss to Leeds United, while they managed a 2-1 victory over West Brom in their earlier home fixture. The defensive frailties at home have been evident, with the team conceding four goals in their last three home matches. Their attacking output has also dipped significantly, managing just two goals in this period, both coming in the West Brom match.
Derby County Form Analysis
The Black Cats have shown mixed fortunes on their travels recently, picking up a respectable draw at Turf Moor but suffering defeats in their previous two away Championship fixtures. The goalless stalemate against Burnley demonstrated their defensive resilience, though their earlier visits to Stoke and Blackburn yielded just two points from a possible nine. On the road, Sunderland have struggled to find the back of the net, failing to score in two of their last three away league matches. Their only away goal in this stretch came in a 2-2 draw at Ewood Park, highlighting a concerning trend in their attacking output when playing away from the Stadium of Light.
Head to Head: Derby County vs Sunderland AFC
In their only Championship encounter this season, Sunderland AFC demonstrated their superiority over Derby County with a convincing 2-0 victory at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats made their home advantage count, securing all three points in what was surprisingly the first meeting between these two historic clubs in recent times. The head-to-head statistics heavily favour Sunderland, who boast a perfect record with one win from one match. The Rams are yet to find their footing against Sunderland, failing to score in their sole encounter. While it's early days in this budding rivalry, the initial bragging rights firmly belong to the Wearsiders, who'll be looking to maintain their 100% record when these sides next meet.
Derby County vs Sunderland AFC: League Position
Derby County currently sit in 19th position in the table, finding themselves in a precarious position in the lower half of the standings. Meanwhile, Sunderland are flying high in 4th place, occupying a play-off spot and well-positioned in the promotion race. The Black Cats hold a significant 15-place advantage over the Rams, highlighting the contrasting fortunes of these two sides in the current campaign.
