Nottingham Forest v Derby: Championship betting preview & tips

TV: Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 7.45pm Monday

East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest and Derby are among a clutch of clubs hoping to gatecrash the Sky Bet Championship playoff places.

Just seven points separate Derby in seventh and 15th-placed Sheffield Wednesday in the standings and Forest are in the middle of that pack in ninth.

The Rams have the upper hand, holding a four-point buffer over nearest pursuers Birmingham, Forest and Preston, as well as a game in hand, but worryingly for their boss Frank Lampard their form has tailed off since the start of 2019.

Derby have won just two of their seven games this year and were thoroughly abject in a 1-1 draw against rock-bottom Ipswich and a 1-0 defeat by Millwall.

Injuries to the influential Mason Mount and Tom Lawrence haven’t helped the Rams’ cause but there is no escaping the fact that they are beginning to falter as the season enters its most crucial phase.

Rivals Forest also sometimes fail to live up to their potential but they have shown enough in recent weeks to suggest they are at least in a better shape than the Rams.

The appointment of Martin O’Neill as boss was hardly revolutionary but Forest are beginning to adapt to his style of play and they were unlucky to not turn at least one of their latest draws at West Brom - where they were denied victory by a contentious late penalty - and Preston into three points.

Forest have a poor recent record against the Rams and head into this showdown without a win in six against their rivals, but there could be just enough in their favour to end that sorry sequence.

Card bettors may also be tempted by the 11-4 offered by Sky Bet about a red card being shown at the City Ground. There have been five dismissals in the last seven league meetings between these rivals – one for Forest and four for Derby.

Sky Bet Championship standings

Recommendation
Nottingham Forest
1pt 8-5 Betway

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Nottingham Forest
Ben Watson and Saidy Janko are in line to return after being rested for Forest’s last outing at Preston. Matty Cash, however, remains a major doubt due to an Achilles injury.

Derby
Tom Lawrence will be checked after missing Derby’s last two games with an ankle injury. Kelle Roos will continue in goal with Scott Carson (thigh) sidelined. Mason Mount (hamstring) is also out.

Key stat
Only four sides have won more home games than Forest's eight this season.

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