Championship | Gameweek 37

Mar 11, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Pride Park Stadium

Derby vs Coventry

Match preview

The script had been written for Derby boss John Eustace to secure his first victory in charge against former club Blackburn Rovers, who he left to join the Rams in mid-February, and the 45-year-old enjoyed an emotional occasion on Saturday.

Two quickfire strikes from Craig Forsyth and Ebou Adams in the opening seven minutes gave Derby the lead before Makhtar Gueye reduced Blackburn's deficit, but there was no late reprieve for Eustace's former employers.

By sinking his old side at Pride Park, Eustace ended a dismal run of results for Derby, which dated back to a Boxing Day victory over West Bromwich Albion and had seen them go an unlucky 13 games without victory, losing 11 of them.

However, a long-awaited first win of the Eustace era - and in 2025 - means the Rams have climbed off the bottom of the Championship table to 22nd, above Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle, and now just four points adrift of 21st-placed Cardiff City.

Forsyth and Adams' efforts on Saturday not only ended Derby's disastrous winless run, but also an equally embarrassing six-game goalless drought at Pride Park, although winning back-to-back games for the first time since September will be a tall order if Coventry's exploits are anything to go by.

Six years after guiding Derby to the 2018-19 Championship play-off final in his first spell as a head coach, Lampard now harbours ambitions of taking Coventry to the big time as the former Chelsea boss continues to work his managerial magic with the Sky Blues.

However, Coventry were seconds away from an agonising two points against Stoke when Victor Torp's double was cancelled out by Sam Gallagher's own brace, only for defender Bobby Thomas to write his hero's strip with the winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

The centre-back has made it a habit of scoring crucial goals for Coventry in recent weeks, netting in narrow victories over Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End as Lampard's side have enjoyed a five-game winning run.

The visitors' extraordinary Championship form has seen them move three points clear of seventh-placed Bristol City in the play-off places, and victory at Pride Park on Tuesday would also mark a fifth successive away league win for Coventry, who last enjoyed such an impressive run in 2012.

However, the Sky Blues' memories of this fixture are not kind, as they were beaten 2-1 by Derby earlier this season and are winless in their last nine away league games against the Rams, the last time they were successful dating back to October 2003.

Recent Performance

Derby County Championship form:DDLLLW

Coventry City Championship form:LWWWWW

Coventry City form (all competitions):LWWWWW

Team News

Derby's morale-boosting win over Blackburn came despite four new injuries, two of which - Lars-Jorgen Salvesen (knee) and Ben Osborn (hamstring) - will now miss the rest of the Championship season.

Eustace has also confirmed that Ryan Nyambe will be sidelined for the next fortnight with his own hamstring problem, while a similar issue kept Kemar Roofe out of the weekend's win and is likely to rule him out of this one as well.

Sondre Langas was only able to last 59 minutes against Blackburn and is now a doubt for Tuesday's game, while David Ozoh (thigh), Curtis Nelson (knee), Dajaune Brown (hamstring) and Corey Blackett-Taylor (hamstring) are all long-term absentees.

It is not all doom and gloom for the Rams, however, as they have signed experienced midfielder Jeff Hendrick on a short-term deal and the former Newcastle United man could be in contention for a place.

Lampard can sympathise with Eustace when it comes to recent injuries, as both Ephron Mason-Clark (toe) and Milan van Ewijk (Achilles) were forced off against Stoke, although he remains hopeful that both problems will be sorted out in time for Tuesday's clash.

Brandon Thomas-Asante and Haji Wright are waiting in the wings should Mason-Clark's problem rule him out, while Joel Latibeaudiere will step into Van Ewijk's shoes if necessary.

The visitors' only other injury victim at the moment is Jack Rudoni, who will be sidelined for at least a few weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

Possible starting lineup

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Widell Zetterstrom; Forsyth, Phillips, Clarke; Wilson, Thompson, Adams, Armstrong, Elder; Harness, Yates

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Dovin; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Eccles, Grimes, Torp; Sakamoto, Simms, Thomas-Asante