Oscar Fraulo ↑54′ · Ryan Hedges ↑85′ · Corey Blackett-Taylor ↑85′ · Lars-Joergen Salvesen ↑90′ · Alex Mowatt · Max Johnston · Ryan Nyambe · Dion Sanderson · Josh Vickers · Carlton Morris · Patrick Agyemang · Matthew Clarke · Rhian Brewster · Craig Forsyth · Derry Murkin
Coach · John Eustace
Match Preview
Derby County vs Birmingham City Match Preview
AI-written editorial preview · updated 2026-09-10 11:31 UTC
Sammie Szmodics leads Derby charge against Birmingham City
Sammie Szmodics remains the focal point of the Derby County attack as they prepare to host Birmingham City at Pride Park this Saturday. The forward will be tasked with sparking a response from his side following a challenging run of results in the Championship.
The tactical setup at Pride Park
Derby County are expected to field a balanced side, with Jacob Widell Zetterstroem anchoring the defence behind a back four of Charlie Taylor, Eiran Cashin, Sondre Klingen Langaas, and Dion Sanderson. The midfield engine room features the trio of Bobby Clark, Ryan Hedges, Alex Mowatt, and David Ozoh, designed to provide stability and support for the forward pairing of Szmodics and Mohammed Fuseini.
For the visitors, Birmingham City look set to deploy an attacking front three of August Priske, Jay Stansfield, and Carlos Vicente. The midfield will be anchored by the duo of Seung-Ho Paik and Tomoki Iwata, while the defensive line, led by goalkeeper James Beadle, will look to contain the hosts after a demanding schedule.
Managing the injury impact
Birmingham City arrive at this match facing a notable absence in their engine room, with Jhon Solis sidelined due to injury. His absence forces a reshuffle in how the visitors control the tempo of the game, placing increased responsibility on the established midfield partnership to protect their defensive unit.
Recent form and the search for consistency
Derby County enter this match aiming to regain the momentum they displayed in their 2-0 victory over Portsmouth at the start of September. Their recent outings have been difficult, including a 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion and a 3-0 defeat at West Ham United, making a strong performance at home essential.
Birmingham City have also found points hard to come by in their recent Championship fixtures, including a 2-1 loss to Norwich City and a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. While they have shown the ability to find the net, their defensive resilience will be tested as they look to improve on their recent results.
Historical context and the path forward
Matches between these two sides have often been tight affairs, with Derby County securing a 1-0 victory in their most recent meeting in March 2026. Previous encounters have frequently ended in draws, highlighting the competitive nature of this fixture in the Championship.
Both teams will be looking to use this match to establish a more stable footing in the table. With the season still in its early stages, a victory at Pride Park would provide a significant boost for either side as they look to move up the standings.
Birmingham City
4-2-3-1
● Confirmed
9
↓73′
Priske
17
↓73′
Millar
28
↓90′
Stansfield
7
⚽↓90′
Vicente
14
↓60′
Solis
24
Iwata
20
Cochrane
4
Klarer
5
Neumann
26
Osayi-Samuel
1
Beadle
Bench (12)
Seung-Ho Paik ↑60′⚽ · Ethan Laird ↑73′ · Luis Vazquez ↑73′ · Dael Fry ↑90′ · Kristoffer Lund Hansen ↑90′ · Lee Buchanan · Ryan Allsop · Kanya Fujimoto · Marvin Ducksch · Jhon Solis · Patrick Roberts · Marc Leonard
Coach · Chris Davies
Confirmed by FIFA officials.
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