Our prediction for this Championship match:
Derby
Match Time & Date:
17/08/2024
12:30
Prediction: 1-1
Middlesbrough
Pride Park will be the centre of attention when Derby County and Middlesbrough go head to head in the Championship round 2. The Rams did well to beat Chesterfield in their League Cup opener, with the team bouncing back from the heart-breaking round 1 loss to Blackburn (2-4), but they do not want to stop now. Kayden Jackson returns to the starting XI after sealing the victory against Chesterfield, while Jerry Yates has yet to serve his ban. Jake Rooney remains in the recovery room.
The Boro, on the other hand, made a promising start to the season, with the team beating Swansea 1-0 in their Championship opener, while rolling over Leeds United 3-0 in the League Cup. Talented forward Joshua Coburn is pushing for a start following his excellent performance in the EFL Cup triumph, whereas there are no fresh injury worries in the away team. Anyhow, the share of spoils is on the cards as Derby are tough to beat at home.
Highlighted Player (Paddy McNair):
Following in the footsteps of his compatriot Jonny Evans, Paddy McNair joined the Manchester United academy in 2011 and he was surprisingly handed first team debut by Louis van Gaal at the start of the 2014/2015 season.
Despite his fragile age, the talented central defender has been putting in some very mature performances ever since, and everything suggests he could go on to become an important player at Old Trafford in years to come. After representing a number of youth sides, McNair made his first appearance for the Northern Ireland senior national team in a March 2015 friendly vs Scotland, before making another three outings as his side secured their place at the Euro 2016 finals.
Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill surprisingly played McNair in holding midfield in the March 2016 friendly vs Wales. After the youngster impressed in the middle of the park, O’Neill went on to suggest that the Manchester United starlet may be used in midfield rather than defence in years to come in the national team.
Highlighted Team (Derby):
Derby County is one of the 12 founder members of the Football League. However, nowadays the Rams compete in the Championship and they play their home matches at Pride Park Stadium. Derby County have won the two trophies in the English top flight (1971/1972, 1974/1975), with the team lifting the FA Cup trophy just after the World War II (1946).
Derby’s main rivals are Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Leeds United, but the rivalry between Forest and Derby is regarded as the biggest one.
The two teams take on each other in the East Midlands derby. The colour of Derby’s shirts is white, whilst their shorts are black. It has to be noted that the club was founded in 1884 by William Morley. The Rams competed in the European competitions four times, but they did not record a notable result in the European Cups. The club’s chairman is Mel Morris.
USA
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Chelsea
