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Derby logo
Championship
Mar 8, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Millwall logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)
Morison (61')

Preview: Derby County vs. Millwall

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between high-flying Derby County and struggling Millwall at Pride Park.

Derby County will be looking to get their automatic promotion hopes back on track when they host struggling Millwall at Pride Park on Saturday.

The Rams suffered a significant setback last weekend when they fell to a 2-0 away defeat at the hands of promotion rivals Burnley, whom they now trail by five points.

However, that defeat was their first in eight matches and, with Burnley not in action until Sunday, they could pile the pressure on the Clarets with a return to winning ways.

Manager Steve McClaren has certainly enjoyed his fair share of wins during his time at the club so far, picking up maximum points in 15 of his 24 Championship games at the helm.

His record is even more impressive at home, with just one defeat, two draws and nine wins in his 13 matches in charge, including a current run of four straight victories.

They have kept three clean sheets in those last four games, while Millwall haven't managed to score at Derby in their last five attempts.

However, McClaren will be without the suspended Chris Martin, while long-term absentee Paul Coutts remains sidelined through injury.

At the other end of the table, Millwall are in desperate need of a victory for very different reasons having now gone seven games without a win.

Ian Holloway's appointment has not had the desired effect on the team, with just one win and five defeats from his nine matches in charge.

That form leaves the Lions teetering on the brink of the relegation zone, with just one point and one place separating them from the wrong side of the dotted line.

Their fate is effectively out of their hands already as the bottom two, who are both just two points behind Millwall, have a game in hand, while 22nd-placed Charlton have three matches to make up on their London rivals.

Only two of the 92 teams in England's top four divisions have conceded more league goals this season than the Lions' 61, although four in their last four games does point to a slight improvement.

Away from home, things look even more grim for the visitors as they have not won any of their last 13 matches on the road and have picked up just one win all season on their way to a league-low eight points.

On the bright side, Holloway will have a fully fit squad to choose from, and he could opt to name Steve Morison and DJ Campbell in his starting XI.

Recent form

Derby: WDWWWL

Millwall: LLDDLL

Possible starting lineups

Derby: Grant; Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth; Hughes, Eustace, Bryson; Russell, Bamford, Ward

Millwall: Forde; Fredericks, Lowry, Shittu, Malone; Campbell, Garvan, Williams, Abdou, Woolford; Morison

Sports Mole says: 3-0


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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3Burnley2212822891944
4Sunderland22127334181643
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2111462518737
6Middlesbrough22105738281035
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom22811326161035
8Watford2110473028234
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds229582830-232
10Millwall217772118328
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12Bristol City226972628-227
13Norwich CityNorwich226883734326
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17Coventry CityCoventry2266102834-624
18Preston North EndPreston2241172229-723
19Stoke CityStoke2257102330-722
20Portsmouth204882535-1020
21Hull City2247112131-1019
22Cardiff CityCardiff2146111934-1518
23Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2146112137-1618
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2146112245-2318


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