Derby County vs Bristol City Betting Preview: Latest odds, team news, tips and predictions

Gary Rowett’s in-form Rams should have enough to see off Lee Johnson’s Robins in this promotion clash, who have lost five in a row in all competitions

Derby County host Bristol City in a key Championship promotion clash on Friday night as two of the best young English managers go head-to-head.

The East Midlanders were two points below their opponents on Boxing Day evening but will go eight points clear of them should they inflict a fourth successive league defeat on the West Country club.

Derby are 11/10 (2.10) with dabblebet for a 16th triumph of the campaign, which would see them temporarily extend their lead in the automatic promotion race to five points with Cardiff not playing until the following evening.

Bristol City are 13/5 (3.60) to put an end to the current blip by recording a crucial double over their promotion competitors, having won the reverse fixture 4-1 back in September.

Both of last season’s matches between these sides ended all square and a repeat is 23/10 (3.30) – although we are unlikely to see a repeat of the dramatic 3-3 draw, when Derby overturned a three-goal half-time deficit.

There’s good news and bad news for Derby as Bradley Johnson is set for an extended spell on the sidelines due to a back problem but midfielder Joe Ledley has returned to contention after suffering the same injury, whilst Matej Vydra is set to continue in the forward line and is 7/5 (2.40) to bag anytime.

For Bristol City, Gary O’Neil, Jens Hegeler, Callum O’Dowda and Eros Pisano all remain out of contention. Striker Famara Diedhou is recovering well from his knee injury and his return will be welcomed, but he is unlikely to start on Friday.

The Robins need a focal point to their attack and that will likely come in the shape of Bobby Reid as lone striker, who is having a very good season but battle-hardened home centre-backs Richard Keogh and Curtis Davies will prove tough nuts to crack.

Derby have won to nil in 41 per cent of their games and are 11/5 (3.20) to do so again against a visiting attack that has scored one in four in all forms.

While just one third of Gary Rowett’s victories as Birmingham boss came by more than one goal, 58 per cent of the wins he has overseen as Derby gaffer have come with a margin of at least two, thus underlining the improved quality he now has at his disposal.

Therefore, it might pay to back the Rams with the -1 handicap at a tempting 11/5 (3.20), which will land if Matej Vydra and Co. defeat the Robins with a cushion of two or more goals.

While Bristol City are still having a good season and remain a strong top six proposition, they are having their worst spell in 11 months and the probable absence of a focal point up top could give their powerful opponents the initiative to dominate.

The odds on the plain Derby win – by any manner or margin - are a little too narrow for our taste buds, so we’re willing to go further for our audacious best bet.

We’re taking the 16/1 (17.0) on a 3-0 win for Derby - not because their opponents are bad by any means, but because form dictates the probability of that scoreline is greater than the odds imply: four of the last seven victories for Rowett's men have ended 3-0.