Bristol City
- Bristol City have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five Championship matches.
- Bristol City sit 7th in the Championship 2025-2026 table with 43 points from 29 games, one more point than Derby County who are in 11th spot.
- Bristol City are slight favourites to win this Friday night Championship game at 2.0, with Derby County priced at 3.8 and the draw at 3.25.
- Gerhard Struber has done a remarkable job since his appointment in June 2025 to transform the Robins into a totally different team from the one that Nigel Pearson had in charge.
- Bristol City can overpower teams when they regain the ball in the right areas and are particularly strong in midfield, where they create numerical overloads and plenty of chances.
- Scott Twine leads the line with eight goals in 28 Championship appearances so far and provides a constant outlet for the home team.
Derby County
- Derby County are unbeaten in their last three Championship matches, including away victories at Preston North End and Charlton Athletic, and a draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.
- John Eustace has had only a few months to make his mark at Derby County, but the early signs are promising as he has put a stamp on the team’s identity.
- The Rams have been much more compact and much more structure-first since the experienced midfielder took charge in February 2025.
- Derby County will look to soak up pressure before hitting teams on the counter attack or through set-piece situations, where they have the quality to hurt opponents.
Key Players
- Scott Twine leads the line with eight goals in 28 Championship appearances so far and provides a constant outlet for the home team.
- Derby’s danger man is Carlton Morris, who has scored ten goals in 16 Championship games this season.
- Bobby Clark has scored two of their last five.
Betting Insights
Back both teams to score at 1.9 looks a solid bet here, given that Derby County have conceded 16 goals in 14 Championship away fixtures and Bristol City average 1.67 goals per home match .
Prediction
- This has all the hallmarks of a chess match between two coaches with very different ideas about how to play the game, but Derby County’s recent form makes them a good value play here to hold their own at Bristol City.
- The visitors have won their last two away games and are unbeaten in their last three overall, so they will travel to Ashton Gate with a good level of confidence.
