The English Championship has reached a crucial stage of the campaign. One of the main issues that still need to be decided is which teams will be playing Premier League football next season.
With that in mind, Tuesday night’s clash Derby and Cardiff at the iPro Stadium could prove crucial in both the race for automatic promotion and the play-off spots.
Derby are outside the play-off spots by just a point and a win in this clash would move the Rams back into the top-six leapfrogging Millwall in the process.
A recent poor run of results in the Championship has seen Gary Rowett’s team slip out of the top-six. In fact, the side from the Midlands have lost four of their last six outings in the second tier, including their last three games.
County have also conceded two or more goals in all three of those consecutive defeats. Just one win in six at the iPro Stadium in the Championship has also played a big factor in the home sides exit from the play-off spots.
Cardiff are currently second in the table, one point clear of third-place Fulham and four clear of fourth-place Aston Villa. However, this game is the Bluebirds game in-hand, so a win would go a long way to sealing their place in the top-flight for next season.
Neil Warnock’s side look to be back on track having recorded two consecutive wins in the second tier. The Welsh had previously failed to win in their three games prior to the wins, a run which has put their promotion hopes in jeopardy.
Cardiff’s recent Championship games have been low-scoring, with under 2.5 goals scored in four of their last five outings in the second tier.
The Bluebirds have been inconsistent on their travels of late in the second tier, but have lost just one of their last eight away games.
Forebet predicts that the visitors will record a vital win in a high-scoring clash, denting County’s hopes of making the play-offs in the process.