Two sides at opposing ends of the Championship and with very different objectives face off in the league’s latest midweek fixture.
EFL Championship
Our 3 predictions for Derby County vs Sunderland
- 1st prediction: Sunderland to win or draw
- 2nd prediction: Over 2.5 goals in the match
- 3rd prediction: Both teams to score – No
1st prediction for Derby County vs Sunderland: Sunderland to win or draw – 29/100
This prediction is based on both teams’ recent form and general standing in the table, which leads to one conclusion on the result of this one. Sunderland have been fantastic and have some incredible players, especially going forward, though they have dropped off from their fantastic start. They will be coming in off the disappointment of their goalless draw against Burnley which saw Wilson Isidor miss two penalties. Despite some hard results of late, they are stronger than Derby and have recruited well this winter. Derby have also struggled and slipped down the table to 19th after a poor run. With their recent record and poor form against the top sides, they’re underdogs here.
2nd prediction for Derby County vs Sunderland: Over 2.5 goals in the game – 28/25
There will be goals in this one due to the talent on show and the form the two sides are in but, as the next prediction will show, the spread of those goals may be fairly uneven. Sunderland have some incredible attacking players such as Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham, as well as new signing Enzo Le Fee. They’ll have to hope Wilson Isidor bounces back from the weekend’s disappointment, as he’s always a threat. Derby are a decent side but just don’t have that same level, and may struggle if the rest of the season is something to go by,
3rd prediction for Derby County vs Sunderland: Both teams to score – No – 17/25
Derby aren’t a bad side overall, but they have been on a poor run of late. They’ve failed to score in their last two league games and often struggle to hit the net against stronger sides, which Sunderland undoubtedly are. Derby have played Sunderland’s promotion rivals three times in recent weeks, and have failed to score in all three, which is not a good omen. Sunderland do have quality up front so are likely to score, it’s just a question of whether they can keep Derby out. Based on the evidence, there’s more to suggest they will than they won’t.
Best odds for Derby County vs Sunderland
| Bookmaker | Derby County | Draw | Sunderland |
| MyriadBet | 12/5 | 23/10 | 57/50 |
| Gentleman Jim | 23/10 | 23/10 | 23/20 |
| Betarno | 232/100 | 232/100 | 57/50 |
Full preview of the game: last results and head to head
Both sides come into this with pretty mixed form; 4th placed Sunderland have won two and lost two of their last five. Derby have a worse record, no wins and four losses in the same time period. In their last games, Sunderland drew 0-0 with fellow promotion chasers Burnley while Derby fell at home to Watford.
In terms of this fixture’s history, it’s pretty interesting. Of 92 meetings the two teams have won the exact same number of games (36) with 20 draws. In the reverse, it was a Sunderland win, a 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light in October.
Confrontation
Where to watch Derby County vs Sunderland
This match is being televised as part of the UK’s midweek EFL coverage; here’s where you can watch:
- Location: Pride Park, Derby, UK, DE24 8XL
- Channel: Sky Sports+ (subscription required)
- Date and time: 7:45pm UK Time, Tuesday 21st January 2025
Probable lineups for Derby County vs Sunderland
This game will likely see both sides put out their best available squads, with Sunderland looking to push for the automatic promotion spots and Derby aiming to push way from the relegation zone and stop their slide. Here’s how we think they’ll line up:
Derby County
Line up: J Widdell Zetterstrom, K Wilson, N Phillips, C Nelson, C Elder, L Thompson, K Goudmijn, K Jackson, M Harness, N Mendez-Laing, J Yates
Injuries/suspensions: E Cashin, R Nyambe, D Ozoh (all injured)
Coach: Paul Warne
Sunderland
Line up: A Patterson, T Hume, L O’Nien, C Mepham, D Cirkin, D Neil, C Rigg, P Roberts, J Bellingham, E Le Fee, W Isidor
Injuries/suspensions: N Huggins, S Abdul Samed, A Browne (all injured)
Coach: Regis Le Bris
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