Our prediction for this League 1 match:
Friday’s football game at Pride Park pits together Derby County and Cambridge United, the two teams with entirely different ambitions for the remainder of the season. The Rams did well to crush Forest Green 4-0 in their last home fixture, which is certainly giving fans a reason for optimism ahead of the visit of Cambridge. Goalkeeper Joseph Anang has overcome his injury, while a man to watch in the home team will be David McGoldrick, who scored a hat-trick against the Green Army.
The U’s, on the other hand, desperately needed a win against Shrewsbury Town, and they managed to get one, with the team moving away from the relegation zone. Cambridge, though, often struggle on the travels, and they are unlikely to spoil Derby’s party at Pride Park. To make things even more complicated for the away team, defender Lloyd Jones limped off with injury in the Boxing Day defeat.
Highlighted Player (Korey Smith):
After spending his youth career at Norwich City, Korey Smith made his first-team debut for the Canaries in January 2008 in the FA Cup clash against Charlton Athletic. Smith played 67 league games for Norwich City and he scored 4 goals for the club, but in 2013 he signed a two-year deal with Oldham Athletic.
The midfielder who was born on 31 January, 1991, scored one goal in 42 appearances for the club in the 2013/2014 campaign and on 27 June, 2014, he joined Bristol City for an undisclosed fee. It has to be noted that he won Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with the Robins in his first season with the team.
Korey Smith was born in Hatfield, England and he has two younger sisters, Alice and Harriet. Smith is a defensive midfielder, but he is capable of operating as central midfielder and right back as well. The Bristol City footballer also represented the likes of Barnsley and Yeovil Town (on loan) in the past.
Highlighted Team (Cambridge United):
Cambridge United are an English football club that compete in League Two. The U’s play their home games at Abbey Stadium, the venue which was built back in 1923. Owned by Grosvenor Estates, Cambridge United’s home ground can hold up to 8,127 spectators.
The U’s wear amber and black jerseys and black shorts when playing in front of home fans, while white and blue are the dominant colours of their away kit. Cambridge United won the FA Trophy in 2014, with the team making it to the FA Cup quarter-finals two times (1989/90, 1990/91). In the 1968-69 season, the U’s clinched the Southern League Cup title.
Cambridge United recorded their biggest league win in March 2007 as they outclassed Weymouth 7-0, and they repeated the success against Forest Green (2009) and Morecambe (2016). Peterborough United are regarded as the club’s main rivals, but they maintain rivalries with Northampton Town, Colchester United, Luton Town, Stevenage, and Histon as well.