Can Derby Stop The Rot Against High-Scoring Wolves?

Wolves will make headway on their play-off rivals tomorrow should they be able to pick up a win at home to promotion chasing Derby. The former currently sit in eighth position but would go level on points with Brentford, who occupy the final play-off spot, with a victory. As seemingly unlikely as it may be, a four goal win would see the Molyneux side replace the Essex club in the top six.

Despite having previously topped the Championship, Derby are now in fifth position and five points off the automatic promotion places. Three points against Wolves would see them move up one place, going level on points with Bournemouth who have an unattainably superior goal difference. A defeat away from home against Kenny Jackett`s club wouldn`t see them drop out of the play-offs all together as their own goal difference is much better than that off seventh placed Ipswich. Failure to pick up a point in the West Midlands could, however, see them on the precipice of dropping out of the top six for the first time since September by the end of the weekend.

Should they be able to replicate their performance against Wolves at the Ipro Stadium back in November, however, the Rams should not have to worry about this. Tomorrow`s away team put five past Jackett`s side without reply in the first fixture of the season between the two clubs. Ryan Shotton opened the scoring on minute 15 before a goal in either half for both Jeff Hendrick and Johnny Russell saw the Whites seal the emphatic victory.

Another win to nil for the Rams against the West Midlands side, this time away from home, is available at 17/4 with Coral. Unsurprisingly, a second 5-0 victory for Steve McClaren`s men can be backed at the best price of 400/1 with paddy Power. Hendrick is available for selection at 50/1 (ladbrokes, paddy Power) to score two or more goals, whilst Russell is being offered at the much more favourable 17/1 (paddy Power) to hit his second brace against Wolves.

Indeed, despite their initial superb performance against last season`s League One champions, it is Wolves who are the favourites for success this time round. Wanderers are available at the best price of 13/8 (boylesports, william hill) to pick up all three points whilst 12/5 (Numerous) says that victory will be Derby`s. It`s 19/10 at both Betvictor and boylesports should you think that the game will end tied and the spoils shared.

Jackett`s Wolves are currently unbeaten in three in the league and can boast a four game unbeaten run at home. In these four games they have racked up 13 goals and have conceded just two, both these goals coming in a 2-2 draw against in-form Watford. With a recent average of over three goals per home game, the hosts can be backed at 11/2 (Coral) to hit the back of the net over 2.5 times and at 16/1 (bet365, Coral, Spreadex) to score over 3.5 goals.

Both Bakary Sako and Benik Afobe have scored four goals in these last encounters, 11/5 (32red, 888sport, unibet) saying that the latter will score at any time and Skybet`s 11/4 the price on Sako adding to his tally.

Wanderers earning themselves their fourth home win to nil in their last five can be supported at odds of 7/2, that best price available from betfair.

Derby have not picked up three points away from home in the Championship since New Year`s Eve, three points being their sum total from their last five matches on the road. To add insult to injury, County are without a win in their last five games both home and away and might be up against it here.

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19/03/2015     © Frixo 2026