Derby County v West Brom: Sky Bet Championship betting preview, tip & TV details

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football, 12.30pm Saturday

West Brom have rewarded both-teams-to-score backers in all four of their Sky Bet Championship contests this season and a trip to Pride Park to take on an attack-minded Derby should see the trend continue.

The Baggies have made a promising start to life under Slaven Bilic, yielding eight points from four games and winning on both away trips to Nottingham Forest and Luton.

Bilic’s boys have notched twice in each road win, having 35 shots combined, and they have enough attacking talent in their ranks to make their mark at Derby.

West Brom are not lacking for firepower with Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore as their two main strikers, while tricky wingers Matt Phillips and Grady Diangana have hit the ground running.

Diangana, on loan from West Ham, was substituted on at half-time in the 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road and bagged a brace within six minutes of being introduced, while Phillips is an excellent player at this level and already has a goal and assist.

The arrival of creative midfielder Filip Krovinovic from Benfica is another promising summer recruit and with Romaine Sawyers and Jake Livermore sitting deeper to offer extra protection to their defence, the Baggies are expected to have something to say on the promotion picture.

If there is a weakness at West Brom then it is their persistent defensive frailties.

The Baggies finished fourth last season despite conceding 62 goals in 46 league games – more than any other side in the top ten – and they still await their first clean sheet this term.

As well as conceding at Forest and Luton, they have shipped in home meetings with Millwall and Reading and Phillip Cocu’s Derby, roared on by home support, should be able to capitalise.

The Rams are similar to the Baggies. They flow going forward but lack stability at the back and they are taking time to adjust following Frank Lampard’s switch to Chelsea.

They possess two potent strikers in Martyn Waghorn and Jack Marriott and have plenty of creativity in midfield through the likes of Tom Lawrence, Kieran Dowell and Mason Bennett.

Recommendation
Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals
1pt 11-10 bet365, Sky Bet

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Derby
Duane Holmes is closing in on a return but Andre Wisdom (knee), Craig Forsyth (knee) and Jayden Bogle are out.

West Brom
Hal Robson-Kanu is sidelined but Grady Diangana and Charlie Austin are both in contention to start.

Key stat
Both teams have scored in each of the last five competitive meetings.

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