Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head:

Middlesbrough head into this fixture with new boss Kim Hellberg in the dugout, looking to get back to winning ways after Tuesday’s defeat to high flying Coventry City. Hellberg’s new side are on a run of just 1 win from their last 5 outings, a sequence that began with a 3-0 loss at Watford.

Imran Louza and Luca Kjerrumgaard scored to give the Hornets a 2-0 half time lead before Kjerrumgaard scored again minutes into the second period to seal all 3 points for the hosts.

Middlesbrough had a 96th minute Luke Ayling strike to thank for rescuing a point at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City, after Jordan Ayew had given the hosts the lead on the stroke of half time.

Boro were back to winning ways when they welcomed Birmingham City to the Riverside Stadium, as Deal Fry and Hayden Hackney scored either side of a Demarai Gray strike for Blues to record an important victory.

Morgan Whittaker scored just his 3rd goal of the season to take a point back to Teesside from Oxford United, with Luke Harris giving the hosts the lead after half an hour.

Whittaker did get on the scoresheet again on Tuesday night but it proved to be in vain as Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues extended their lead at the top of the Championship to 10 points.

Coventry raced into a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes thanks to Ellis Simms and Liam Kitching before Whittaker struck to halve the arrears. A Bobby Thomas own goal got Boro back on level terms 4 minutes into the second half.

Kitching and Simms then scored again in the 85th and 86th minutes to secure an impressive win on the road for a Coventry side who will take some stopping.

Middlesbrough has scored 22 goals this season at an average of 1.3 per match, and Morgan Whittaker is the club’s top scorer with 4, followed by Hayden Hackney on 3.

Hellberg’s side have conceded 18 times at an average of just 1.1 per match and have kept 5 clean sheets so far this campaign.

Derby County are in a tremendous run of form leading up to this fixture, winning 4 of their last 5 and 6 of their last 7 Championship matches.

The Rams began November with a superb away victory at Bramall Lane, beating Sheffield United 3-1 thanks to a Carlton Morris hattrick. That was followed by a vital win against fellow playoff chasers Hull City.

Morris again opened the scoring before Joel Ndala equalised for the Tigers after 50 minutes. John Eustace’s side had to be patient as it wasn’t until the 83rd minute that they broke down the Hull City defence for a 2nd time, when Norwegian Lars-Jorgen Salvesen smashed home from outside of the box.

Eustace then took his side to former club Blackburn Rovers and again saw Carlton Morris get his name on the scoresheet, this time alongside Patrick Agyemang. Both scored in the first half and County were able to hang on despite a Yuki Ohashi penalty for the hosts.

Defeat followed at home to Watford, despite the Rams taking a 2-0 lead thanks to Dion Sanderson and Sondre Klingen Langas. Luca Kjerrumgaard pulled one back for Watford before a brace from Edo Kayembe turned the game on its head.

Last time out, it was back to winning ways as Joe Ward and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen strikes were enough for a 2-1 win at Swansea City.

Derby County has scored 24 goals at an average of 1.4 per match, with Carlton Morris leading the way on an astonishing 10 goals. 

The Rams have conceded 23 times and have managed to keep just 3 clean sheets in their 17 matches.

It is Middlesbrough who have the recent edge in this rivalry, winning 11 of the last 24 matches between the two sides to Derby County’s 7 victories.

The first meeting last season was settled by a 14th minute Kayden Jackson strike, giving Derby a vital victory in their fight against relegation. Finn Azaz was the match winner at the Riverside, scoring with just 10 minutes remaining to give Boro all 3 points.

One of the most one sided victories came during the 2021-22 campaign, when Derby County were relegated after receiving a 21 point deduction. 

After a goalless draw in Derbyshire, Middlesbrough ran out comfortable 4-1 winners at the Riverside thanks to a Lee Buchanan own goal and strikes from Aaron Connolly, Matt Crooks and Duncan Watmore.

The Rams’ biggest success came back in November 2017, when a Matej Vydra hattrick secured a 3-0 win in a season when both sides would make the end of season playoffs.

Middlesbrough have scored 32 times in those 24 meetings and Derby have found the net 25 times, meaning an average of just under 2.4 goals have been scored per match.

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