PIC: A view from the away end at Pride Park. (Credit: Harvey Todd)
Stoke City travel to Pride Park on Saturday in the hopes of keeping their promotion charge alive.
The Potters are winless in Derbyshire since relegation in 2018 so Michael O’Neill’s men will look to break that duck in front of a sold-out away end where over 3,000 Stokies will make the short trip to Derby.
The last time the two sides met in March, Jacob Brown’s goal was the difference in ST4, with the previous trip to Pride Park being a dull 0-0 draw in December 2020.
The Hosts:
PIC: Craig Forsyth celebrates. (Credit: Derby County FC)
Derby County need no introduction to the Stoke faithful. The Rams’ start to the season has been mixed, with them only collecting seven points from an available 21.
Sitting 16th, Wayne Rooney’s side have only won one league game this campaign, drawing four and losing two.
Their latest outing came on Tuesday night as the Rams held West Bromwich Albion to a 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns.
Opposition Opinion
Derby content creator Goalhanger gave his thoughts on his side’s start to the season:
“Seven points after seven games is decent from us, considering the situation we’re in and only had seven or eight contracted players in at the start of the season. Obviously most recently, a midweek 0-0 away draw at West Brom is a very good point especially for us, and the more points we get the closer we are to safety.
“We were predicted to finish bottom by pretty much everyone and so far this season we’ve had a pretty decent start to it but I would like us to start turning some of those draws into wins because that would definitely help us come the end of the season.”
One to Watch:
“The player I’d say Stoke have to watch out for is Ravel Morrison - he should be starting on Saturday. His passing ability is second to none and the way he can turn the game from defence to attack.
He’s definitely got Premier League ability, I don’t think he’s living up to it right now, but he’s definitely got that potential even at the age he is and you can understand why Sir Alex Ferguson said he’d be a very good player because he’s got that quality in his locker and it’s on show every game he plays.”
[Goalhanger link: https://www.youtube.com/c/Goalhanger]
Unavailability List:
PIC: Tommy Smith reacts to being sent off. (Credit: Getty Images)
Tommy Smith: Smith’s dismissal in Wednesday’s clash vs Barnsley sees him side-lined for three matches through suspension. Stoke appealed the decision however were unsuccessful.
Morgan Fox: Fox picked up a hamstring injury in training on Monday and is likely to miss out against Derby.
Steven Fletcher: Fletcher had a reaction in his ankle after his cameo against Huddersfield. The 34-year-old missed Wednesday’s game, and the Scot is expected to also sit out of tomorrow’s game.
Joe Allen: Substituted by O’Neill on Wednesday, the Welshman looks to miss this upcoming clash with a toe injury, however O’Neill stated in his pre-match press conference that Allen will be assessed on Saturday morning.
Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Tyrese Campbell both appeared in the U23s’ 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Monday evening. Oakley-Boothe was withdrawn after jarring his knee at the end of the first half, and Campbell is unlikely to feature as his rehabilitation continues.
MON’s Thoughts:
PIC: Michael O Neill smiles in conversation. (Credit: Getty Images)
The 52-year-old spoke to the media on Friday as he gave his thoughts on Saturday’s encounter to Stoke City FC:
“They will probably feel a little bit hard done by or aggrieved by some of the results that they’ve had and will probably feel they’ve deserved more and when you are in the situation that they are in home form is crucial really, to help you build your season.
O’Neill added: “We’ll expect an extremely difficult game – they will be doing everything they can to try and make sure they give themselves a chance to win the game. We’ve got to be ready for that. It’s again our third game in a week which is always challenging but we’ll be ready for whatever Derby throw at us.”
Predicted Potters XI
PIC: Team celebrate with Jacob Brown after his equaliser against HTAFC. (Credit: Getty Images)
Goalkeeper: Joe Bursik
Bursik looks to have tied down the #1 jersey this season with a string of reliable performances. Only conceding in midweek to Cauley Woodrow’s stunning free-kick, the 21-year-old looks set to keep the gloves.
Defence: Leo Ostigard, Harry Souttar ©, Ben Wilmot
Souttar will reclaim the armband as Allen misses out through a knock and will start alongside Wilmot and Ostigard who’ve also enjoyed positive starts to life at Stoke.
Midfield: Demeaco Duhaney, Nick Powell, Romaine Sawyers, Mario Vrancic, Josh Tymon
Smith’s absence presents the chance for Duhaney to make his debut at right-wing-back. Powell returns to the side after missing the last handful of games through injury, alongside Sawyers and Vrancic. Tymon also keeps his place in the team at left-wing-back.
Strikers: Abdallah Sima, Sam Surridge
After an impressive debut from the bench on Wednesday, Sima will make his first start for Stoke, coming in for the rested Jacob Brown, and will partner Surridge who’ll hope to net his second goal of the week.
Score prediction - Derby 1-3 Stoke
Stoke will ride out comfortable victors over Rooney’s side. Vrancic will make up for his missed penalty on Wednesday by getting on the scoresheet in the first half, however Derby will soon equalise through Tom Lawrence. Sima and Ostigard will find the net in the second half and ensure all three points return to the Potteries.
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