3/1 To Win
With their focus back on the Sky Bet Championship, Derby County will be looking to extend their nine-game unbeaten run on the road in the league when they take on Birmingham City.
The Rams travel to St Andrew’s looking to consolidate their place in the automatic promotion positions (kick-off: 3pm) and here, dcfc.co.uk has collated all the information you need ahead of the clash with the Blues…
WHAT’S THE LATEST TEAM NEWS
Gary Rowett has told RamsTV that Joe Ledley has ‘a chance’ of returning to action against Birmingham City this weekend – while fellow midfielder Bradley Johnson could be set for a spell out of action.
Ledley has missed Derby’s last three matches with a back injury and remains a doubt for Saturday’s trip across the Midlands.
Johnson has also been struggling with a back injury of late, sustained in the Boxing Day draw at Hull City.
He has missed two of Derby’s last three matches and Rowett says the former Norwich City man may need a period of rest and recovery.
That aside, the Rams will have everyone else available when they travel to St Andrew’s.
WHAT WAS SAID AHEAD OF THE TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM?
Speaking to RamsTV ahead of the weekend’s game, Gary Rowett said: “The Birmingham game this weekend is going to be a tough test.
“They have won their last three games and they’re in a resurgent run of form, so we’re going to have to be at our very best to get anything again.
“We’ll need to perform as well as we have done in the last nine away games in which we’re unbeaten.
“I know there will be talk about me going back to Birmingham but I think we’ve covered that before and that I’ve been respectful about them.”
ONE TO WATCH
With four goals in five games, Sam Gallagher heads into this weekend’s game as the man in form for the Birmingham City.
On a season-long from Southampton, the 22-year-old has scored crucial goals in the Blues’ recent wins over Reading and Burton Albion. The forward has made 20 appearances and scored five goals this campaign in total.
Born in Crediton, Devon, Gallagher was in Plymouth Argyle's youth academy - a contemporary of Isaac Vassell - before the Saints snapped him up in April 2012.
He made his debut seven months later and went on to appear 18 times in the Premier League, scoring once.
He was recalled from a six-month loan spell at MK Dons in January 2016 and the next season went to Blackburn Rovers on loan for the season.
Gallagher, who has represented Scotland at Under-19 level before to switching to England in 2014, impressed in a struggling Rover side that got relegated, scoring 11 times in 42 Championship appearances.
SOLD OUT REMINDER
Ahead of going out on General Sale, Derby County’s entire allocation of tickets has SOLD OUT for their Sky Bet Championship clash with Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.
Derby will go into it backed by a packed out following after the final allocation of 3,500 seats were purchased, making the game a complete sell-out for Rams fans!
The Derby County Ticket Office is, however, running a waiting list should they have any tickets returned.
Those interested in being added to the waiting list should email [email protected] with their name and Fan ID.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1-2 DERBY COUNTY
Saturday 8th April 2017
Tom Ince popped up with an injury-time winner as Derby County recorded a third straight win under Gary Rowett by beating his former club, Birmingham City, 2-1 in the West Midlands back in April.
Now at Huddersfield Town, the 25-year-old wideman latched on to Scott Carson’s long punt upfield and lifted the ball over the advancing Tomasz Kuszczak to snatch all three points at St Andrew’s.
That came after Kuszczak’s unfortunate own goal had edged the Rams in front, before Birmingham deservedly levelled in the second half through Che Adams, but the resilient Rams held firm to claim a priceless three points that keeps their play-off hopes alive.
Birmingham City: Kuszczak, Nsue, Grounds, Robinson (C), Shotton, Tesche (Frei, 65), Gardner, Adams, Jutkiewicz (Donaldson, 80), Davis (Gleeson, 90), Bielik
Substitutes not used: Legzdins, Kieftenbeld, Dacres-Cogley, Keita
Derby County: Carson, Baird, Keogh (C), Pearce, Olsson; Bryson (Bent, 78), Johnson; Ince, Butterfield (Hughes, 64), Russell (Anya, 70); Nugent
Substitutes not used: Mitchell, Christie, Camara, Vydra
Attendance: 19,381 (2,746 away supporters)
WHO’S THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE?
Lee Probert has been appointed as the Match Referee for Derby County's Sky Bet Championship away fixture at Birmingham City on Saturday.
Probert has officiated 18 first-team games so far this term across the Premier League and EFL, from which he has produced a total of 26 yellow and four red cards.
This will be the third time that he has officiated a Rams game this season after overseeing the home games against Wolves (lost 2-0) and Aston Villa (won 2-0) earlier this season.
Probert will be assisted by Andrew Garratt and Simon Long on the lines, whilst Darren Bond has been appointed as the fourth official.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Supporters based outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland will also be able to watch every kick of the Rams’ trip to take on the Blues, with Matchday Live from 2.15pm on Saturday.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming up on RamsTV:
THURSDAY
- Pre-Match Interviews (6.30pm approx.) – RamsTV catches up with Derby County Manager, Gary Rowett, and Rams ‘keeper, Scott Carson, ahead of their trip to take on Birmingham City.
- Fan Cam – Pre-Birmingham (7pm) – Presenter Kim Birtwistle will be out and about again asking Rams fans how they think their side will get on at St Andrew’s.
FRIDAY
- Pre-Match Press Conference: Birmingham City (8.30am approx.) – RamsTV will be LIVE on Derby County’s official Facebook page as Gary Rowett answers questions from the press ahead of his return to former club, Birmingham City.
- Birmingham City Preview Show (6pm) – Owen Bradley will be joined in the RamsTV studio by former Derby players, Roy McFarland and Shane Nicholson, as they look at what it will take for the Rams to bring all three points home from St. Andrew’s.
- FA Youth Cup Matchday Live – Norwich City Vs Derby County (6.45pm) – Warm up for the first team’s trip to Birmingham by watching Derby County’s under-18 side take on the Canaries in the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup (kick-off 7pm).
SATURDAY
- Matchday Live: Birmingham City Vs Derby County (2.15pm) – Colin Gibson will be LIVE in the RamsTV studio with special guests as they build up to the game against Birmingham City with all the key stats, analysis and an exclusive pre-match interview with Derby’s boss, Gary Rowett.
- Coverage will then switch live to St Andrew’s where international RamsTV subscribers will be able to watch the full game with live commentary from Jack Woodward and former Ram, Shane Nicholson.
- Post-Match Extra: Birmingham City (5.30pm approx.) – Colin Gibson will be LIVE on Facebook with Shane Nicholson as they discuss the game at St. Andrew’s and hear from manager Gary Rowett.
SUNDAY
- Match Highlights: Birmingham City (12pm) – All the goals, key incidents and moments from St Andrew’s the day before.
- Matchday Relived: Birmingham City (6pm) – Round off your weekend by watching a replay of RamsTV’s entire Matchday Live production from the day before, including the full 90 minutes of action and pre-match build up along with half and full-time analysis.
MONDAY
- Birmingham City Review Show (6pm) – Colin Gibson, Roger Davies and Shane Nicholson will review the Rams’ performance at Birmingham and look back at all the key talking points from the game.
The RamsTV streaming service is available to all supporters who register on dcfc.co.uk.
To access the full RamsTV streaming service will cost the following:
First-Team Match Streaming (outside UK) - £110 annual subscription or £12.50 per month
First-Team Audio Commentary (worldwide) - £45 annual subscription or £5 per month
First-Team Pay Per Game - Match Streaming (outside UK) - £5 for the individual game
A link to packages can be found here.
The two premium services are in addition to the regular pre-match and post-match interviews on RamsTV.
Supporters will also be able to follow all of the action, as usual, across our social media channels.
We will be providing behind the scenes content across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we will also provide a blow-by-blow account of proceedings at St Andrew’s.
