Looking to Push on
After an opening day victory over Huddersfield, Derby are looking for their second win of the season and their first victory at home, after back to back draws against both Swansea and Stoke.
Last time out Derby drew 2-2 with Stoke at the Bet365 Stadium. Waghorn scored inside the first two minutes to give Derby an early lead, but goals from Scott Hogan either side of the halftime whistle saw Stoke flip the game on its head. Derby battled back and Waghorn got his second of the game twenty minutes from time, he slotted home a penalty to continue Derby's unbeaten start to the season.
Despite an opening day 3-1 defeat to Leeds, Bristol City have bounced back to achieve four points from their last two games. First City drew 1-1 away at Birmingham, and then last time out they beat Queens Parks Rangers 2-0 at Ashton Gate.
A first half goal from Adam Nagy and a second half strike from Benik Afobe saw City dispatch QPR, whilst simultaneously keeping their first clean sheet of the season.
With Derby currently sitting eighth and City in 11th, both sides will be looking to push on in an attempt to achieve something special this season.
Previous Meetings
Last season Derby went undefeated against Bristol City, drawing the game at Pride Park 1-1 and winning the game away in Bristol 2-0.
The teams also met twice in pre-season. The first match was stopped with Bristol City leading 1-0 due to lightning strikes in Florida, before Derby won 2-1 in the game the next day.
There has been 73 matches played between the two sides since 1906, with Derby winning 37, and City winning just 18.
Team News
Predicted Derby XI (4-2-3-1): Roos, Lowe, Bielik, Keogh, Malone, Knight, Huddlestone, Jozefzoon, Dowell, Lawrence, Waghorn
Phillip Cocu has a full squad to choose from apart from rightback Jayden Bogle, who suffered an ankle injury in the 0-0 draw with Swansea 10 days ago. With there only been two full days in between this fixture and the 2-2 draw with Stoke, so it stands to reason that Cocu will have to make some changes. However, Cocu has made few unforced changes in the league so far this season, so it wouldn't be surprising if he went with a very similar XI this Tuesday.
Predicted Bristol XI ( 5-3-2): Bentley, Hunt, Moore, Kalas, Wright, Rowe, Nagy, Palmer, Brownhill, Weimann, Afobe
With the 5-3-2 bringing success last weekend against QPR, it seems likely that Lee Johnson will use it again Tuesday night. Again with only having two full days rest after their 2-0 victory over QPR, it seems likely that Johnson will have to make some changes. Johnson will definitley be without Jay Dasilva who is out for up to five months with a tibia fracture, but Pedro Pereria is fit again should Johnson want to choose him.
Key Clash
Martyn Waghorn Vs Andreas Weimann
With both striker's having an average campaign last time out, this new season represents a chance for both strikers to push on.
Last season under Frank Lampard, Waghorn managed nine goals in 36 championship matches. However, already this season he's bagged two goals, and it seems that Phillip Cocu see's him as an invaluable member of his squad. After his brace last time out, Waghorn will only be hungry for more goals, and if he is on form, he could prove the difference on Tuesday night.
Weimann had a similar campaign last season, registering 10 goals for Bristol in his first season with the club after his transfer from Derby. Weimann's only goal so far this season came in his sides 3-1 defeat to Leeds, so he will be looking to find the net again when he returns to his old stomping ground.
What the Managers Have Said
When speaking to Rams TV, Phillip Cocu said this about this Tuesdays fixture:
"They're also a team that can play different styles of football, sometimes 4-3-3, sometimes 5-3-2, we have to be prepared because most systems they can play it."
"We have to focus of course on our own game, but also be prepared for their qualities. We played them in preseason so we know them a little bit better than some other teams, but again, none of the games are easy so we have to show the best and put in a good performance."
"With the home fans behind the team, we will do everything to get a good result."
When asked about his sides visit to Pride Park, Lee Johnson had this to say:
"They have made good signings, as have we, and we’ve had great games against them. The one thing you know playing Derby is it is going to be an excellent football match."
"Players look forward to playing at Pride Park, our fans turn out in good voice and we look forward to going there and playing as positive as possible to get those three points."
"The pre-season games were quite surreal, having the match abandoned for lightning strikes is very unusual but we got the numbers and minutes in the players. We drew 2-2 over the two-legged game so this can be the sequel."