Derby vs Sheffield Utd
Match recap
Sheffield Utd beat Derby 2–1 in their Championship fixture. Szmodics scored for Derby; Cannon and Peck replied for Sheffield Utd. Expected-goals data put the chance balance at 2.11 for Derby versus 1.85 for Sheffield Utd. Derby sit 8th in the Championship table while Sheffield Utd are 13th.
Analysis
As the Championship season nears its climax, Derby host Sheffield United in what promises to be a closely fought encounter. Both teams have had their moments this season, but Derby's home advantage and recent form suggest they will come out on top.
Derby currently sit 8th with 69 points, showing a solid campaign with 20 wins. Sheffield United, placed 13th with 60 points, have struggled for consistency. Historically, Sheffield have the upper hand in head-to-heads, but Derby's better goal difference and home form could be decisive here.
Derby's attacking midfield maestro Ben Brereton Díaz has been in fine form, netting 7 goals in his last 10 games, making him a key threat. Defenders Joe Ward and Matthew Clarke provide width and creativity from the back, exploiting Sheffield's defensive flanks. Sheffield's Patrick Bamford remains a danger man, but Derby's defensive solidity, led by Clarke, should keep him in check.
Prediction
We predict Derby to take the win 2-1, leading 1-0 at halftime before Sheffield United mount a late challenge. The match is expected to be competitive with around four cards shown, reflecting a moderately physical game. Confidence in this outcome stands at 18%, reflecting the tight nature of the contest.
Outcome probability
Key Insights
Derby's Wide Play vs Sheffield's Defensive Flanks
Derby's fullbacks Ward and Clarke provide attacking width exploiting Sheffield's flank defense.
Ben Brereton Díaz's Goal Scoring Form
Brereton's recent goal frequency surpasses league average for midfielders, boosting Derby's scoring chances.
Sheffield Utd's Consistent Scoring Streak
Sheffield Utd has scored in last 5 matches, indicating offensive momentum despite defensive vulnerabilities.
Bamford vs Derby Defense Key Battle
Bamford's scoring record against Derby's defense suggests he will be a focal point for Sheffield's attack.
No Significant Injuries Affecting Lineups
Both teams have full squads available, so tactical choices will be key without injury disruptions.
Key Takeaways
In summary, Derby's home advantage and key player form give them the edge in this Championship fixture. Sheffield United will fight hard, but expect the Rams to clinch a narrow victory and keep their playoff hopes alive.
- Derby are 8th in the Championship with 69 points from 46 games (W20 D9 L17).
- Sheffield United sit 13th with 60 points from 46 games (W18 D6 L22).
- In 13 head-to-head meetings, Sheffield United have won 9, Derby 3, with 1 draw.
- Head-to-head matches average 2.6 goals per game.
- Derby have a superior goal difference (+8) compared to Sheffield United this season.
- Ben Brereton Díaz has scored 7 goals in his last 10 games for Derby.
- Joe Ward leads Derby defenders with 5 assists this season.
- The predicted total cards count for the match is 4, indicating moderate discipline.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — Derby
Away — Sheffield Utd
No standout top scorers flagged for Sheffield Utd
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Szmodics
Langås
Yellow Card
Clarke
Yellow Card
Burrows
Yellow Card
Tanganga
Yellow Card
Banel
Cannon
Assist: Bamford
Arblaster
Seriki
Cannon
Brereton
Peck
Assist: Hamer
Hamer
Forsyth
Ozoh
O'Hare
Clark
Yellow Card
Szmodics
Yellow Card
Chong
Yellow Card
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Coventry | 46 | 28 | 11 | 7 | +52 | 95 |
| 7 |  Wrexham | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | +4 | 71 |
| 8 |  Derby | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | +8 | 69 |
| 9 |  Norwich | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | +7 | 65 |
| 12 |  Bristol City | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 62 |
| 13 |  Sheffield Utd | 46 | 18 | 6 | 22 | 0 | 60 |
| 14 |  Preston | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | -7 | 60 |
Match Statistics
Derby
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 1J. Widell ZetterströmG
- 3C. ForsythD
- 5M. ClarkeD
- 6S. LangåsD
- 9C. MorrisF
- 18D. OzohM
- 19S. SzmodicsM
- 23J. WardD
- 25B. BreretonM
- 27L. TravisM
- 34J. BanelM
Substitutes
- 4D. BatthD
- 15L. SalvesenF
- 22M. JohnstonD
- 28D. SandersonD
- 29O. FrauloM
- 31J. VickersG
- 37Owen EamesM
- 42B. ClarkM
Sheffield Utd
4-4-2Starting XI
- 2J. TangangaD
- 4O. ArblasterM
- 7T. CannonF
- 8G. HamerM
- 10C. O'HareM
- 14H. BurrowsD
- 17A. DaviesG
- 25M. McGuinnessD
- 38F. SerikiD
- 42Sydie PeckM
- 45P. BamfordF
Substitutes
- 9D. IngsF
- 12K. HoeverD
- 18El Hadji Djibril SoumaréM
- 24T. ChongM
- 37D. SasnauskasD
- 43H. McGlincheyM
- 44J. RiedewaldM
- 46Tommy BettsG
- 48J. RothwellM
Derby
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sammie Szmodics | M | 90 | 7.5 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/4 |
| Jacob Widell Zetterström | G | 90 | 7.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Matt Clarke | D | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| Jaydon Banel | M | 60 | 6.9 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/4 |
| Lewis Travis(C) | M | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ben Brereton Díaz | M | 68 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Craig Forsyth | D | 74 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| David Ozoh | M | 75 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1/1 |
| Sondre Langås | D | 90 | 6.2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Carlton Morris | F | 90 | 6.2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Joe Ward | D | 90 | 6.2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0/1 |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Danny Batth | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Josh Vickers | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cruz Allen | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dion Sanderson | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Owen Eames | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oscar Fraulo | M | 16 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bobby Clark | M | 30 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Max Johnston | D | 22 | 6.5 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Lars-Jørgen Salvesen | F | 15 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Sheffield Utd
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydie Peck | M | 90 | 7.9 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4/5 |
| Thomas Cannon | F | 64 | 7.7 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| Femi Seriki | D | 64 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2/2 |
| Mark McGuinness | D | 90 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Adam Davies | G | 90 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Callum O'Hare | M | 85 | 6.9 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — |
| Gustavo Hamer | M | 72 | 6.9 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Harrison Burrows | D | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Patrick Bamford | F | 90 | 6.6 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0/2 |
| Japhet Tanganga(C) | D | 90 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oliver Arblaster | M | 64 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Tommy Betts | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harry McGlinchey | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dovydas Sasnauskas | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Djibril Soumaré | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tahith Chong | M | 26 | 7.3 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3/3 |
| Joe Rothwell | M | 26 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 0/1 |
| Ki-Jana Hoever | D | 26 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Jaïro Riedewald | M | 16 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Danny Ings | F | 18 | 6.2 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — |