Both sides seeking win to kickstart season as Derby County host Barnsley

Struggling Derby welcome Barnsley to Pride Park in a game that both sides will be targeting three points from to move out of the early relegation picture.

The Rams have won just one of their ten league fixtures so far this season, and are six without a win, with three draws and three defeats in those games, one of which was a late defeat against QPR on Wednesday night.

The Tykes meanwhile have picked up in recent games with two wins in their last three matches but had started the campaign with no win in seven matches, and so now have just ten points from ten games so far. That said, Barnsley suffered their worst defeat of the season in midweek, with a 3-0 loss at Cardiff City.

The form table would probably point to a Barnsley win, but with Callum Brittain, Cauley Woodrow, Jordan Williams and Ben Williams all likely to miss the game injured, compared to just Jordon Ibe missing for Derby, they also have a much bigger injury list.

Woodrow is Barnsley’s top league goalscorer this campaign with three goals to his name but the former Fulham striker has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Alex Mowatt is right behind his teammate on two goals, which were scored in successive games.

Derby’s top scorer meanwhile is Martyn Waghorn on two goals, again scored in successive games, but no other player has scored more than one for the Rams in the league so far this season. Though this is not overly surprising given Derby are the lowest scorers in the division with just five league goals this season, and have not scored more than once in any game.

The Rams also have the second-worst defensive record in the league so far, having conceded 14 goals, but opponents Barnsley do not fare much better here, having conceded 13.

Derby’s upcoming fixtures are not kind, with games against Bristol City, Middlesbrough and a trip to a Wycombe Wanderers side who have picked up in recent games, all coming in the three games immediately after Barnsley.

There is talk of a takeover coming soon, from an investor previously interested in buying Liverpool and Newcastle United, which will surely be on the minds of everyone surrounding the East Midlands side, but Derby cannot let themselves be distracted by this.

The reduction in Sheffield Wednesday’s point deduction leaves them just behind Derby in the table, and the Rams could be bottom of the league if Wednesday either draw or win their game against Play-Off pushing Millwall.

Only Preston North End have had a worse record at home than Derby County this season, while only Coventry City have a worse away record than Barnsley. Derby are yet to win at home, having picked up just one point so far this campaign; Barnsley are yet to win away, with just two draws and three defeats from five games.

Tomorrow’s game gives both sides a good opportunity to get their first win in those settings, be it Derby at home, or Barnsley away, and should either get the result it could be what they need to kickstart their season.

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