Our prediction for this League 1 match:
All eyes will be on Pride Park when Derby County and Portsmouth go head to head in the penultimate round of the season. The Rams proved their worth in back-to-back wins over Exeter and Burton and a triumph over Portsmouth could see them seal their spot in the playoffs. As always, a man to watch in the home team will be David McGoldrick, who scored the winner against the Brewers, while Tom Barkhuizen is pushing for a start.
The Pompey, meanwhile, defeated Accrington thanks to Joe Pigott’s goal, but that did not help them keep their playoffs hopes alive. Considering that visitors have nothing to play for in the season finale, we predict that Derby are going to pick up all three points from Saturday’s encounter. Aforementioned forward Pigott is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while there are no fresh injury worries in the away team.
Highlighted Player (David McGoldrick):
David McGoldrick is an Irish international who was born in Nottingham, England on 29 November, 1987. McGoldrick was eligible to play for both England and Republic of Ireland and he decided to play for the Irish national team. The striker made his Ireland debut on 18 November, 2014, in a 4-1 win over USA and it has to be noted that he provided assists for Robbie Brady and Anthony Pilkington.
McGoldrick began his senior career at Nots County and he played for the likes of Northampton, Bournemouth, Port Vale, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City in the past as well. The Irish attacker he joined Ipswich Town on loan until the end of the 2012/2013 campaign and he signed a permanent deal with the club in July 2013.
David McGoldrick scored 14 goals in 31 appearances for the Tractor Boys in the 2013/2014 Championship campaign and that is considered his most successful season. You should have in mind that his Ipswich teammates Daryl Murphy and Stephen Hunt backed David for his first-ever Ireland call-up.
Highlighted Team (Portsmouth):
During Milan Mandaric’s era at the club, Portsmouth played an important role in the Premier League, with the team finishing their debut season (2003/2004) in the 13th position in the standings. The club impressed in the 2008/2009 season, with Nwankwo Kanu’s goal helping them beat Cardiff City in the FA Cup final.
As a result, Portsmouth represented England in the Europa League, with the team progressing in the group stages of the competition thanks to a win over Vitoria Gimaraes in the final qualifying round. The current club was formed in 2013, but the original amateur club was founded back in 1883. Nowadays Portsmouth host their rivals at Fratton Park, with the venue holding up to 20,620 spectators.
The likes of Sol Campbell, David James, Glen Johnson and aforementioned Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu are considered one of the club’s most notable players. Portsmouth wear blue shirts, white shorts and red socks when hosting their rivals at Fratton Park, while wearing white and blue colours when playing on the road.