Derby County vs West Brom Prediction: Draw on the cards at Pride Park?

West Brom fans were handed the worst present imaginable on Christmas Eve as it was confirmed that Carlos Corberan had been approached by his boyhood club Valencia. It’s a massive gig for the Spaniard, who looks set to join the European giants, but it leaves the Baggies in the lurch as they prepare for a Boxing Day jaunt to Derby.

Paul Warne’s men lost late on at Luton Town last time out and will be looking to get back to winning ways on home soil. This game, live on Sky Sports Main Event at 17:30, has now taken on a whole new meaning and below you can find my Derby County vs West Brom predictions. 

Team News

Derby defender Eiran Cashin remains sidelined until the new year having picked up a hamstring injury in the recent win over Portsmouth. Nat Phillips should deputise afte he made his 15th appearance of the season for the club against Luton Town.

Kayden Jackson scored his fourth goal of the season in last week's clash against the Hatters and is expected to be available for selection along with striker Jerry Yates.Ryan Nyambe (knee) and David Ozoh (quad) are still sidelined as they continue their respective rehabilitation programmes. 

West Brom are unlikely to make many changes to the team that comfortably beat Bristol City 2-0 last time out. Josh Maja will continue up front supported by John Swift. Mikey Johnston starred with two goals in that game and will play from the left, with Tom Fellows providing the width on the right. 

Daryl Dike and Semi Ajayi are the only absentees for West Brom from an injury persective, while Uros Rakic could start in place of Jayson Molumby. Mason Holgate and Kyle Bartley should continue their partnership at the heart of the defence. 

Derby County vs West Brom Odds

Derby County are priced at 9/5 to win this game, having won their last home game 4-0 against Portsmouth. West Brom can be backed at 13/8, giving them an implied win probability of 38% while a draw is 21/10. 

Over 2.5 goals has come in during 45% of Derby’s matches this season and is priced at 11/8, while BTTS is 10/11. Josh Maja is the favourite to open the scoring at 11/2. 

Draw @ 21/10

I’m going back to the well here and backing WBA to pick up a draw. They have drawn 11 matches this term, the joint-highest total in the league but having said that I would have backed them to pick up three points if the Corberan debacle hadn’t occurred. I’m such a big fan of his and think he was the best tactician in the league, so the uncertainty has to have made some impact on the playing squad. 

Derby’s home form has been excellent this season and they’ve won five out of 10 at Pride Park, form that has kept them out of the bottom three. They hammered Pompey 4-0 last time out at home and I think they will have enough to match WBA in a really competitive Boxing Day clash. Draw for me. 

Both teams to score @ 10/11

Now this one may not be a selection that first comes to mind when these two teams meet, but one I think offers great value when we delve into it. Both teams have found the net in 59 per cent of Derby matches this season, which is the joint-third highest total in the division, and while WBA can be stingy, that has now been the case at the Hawthorns rather than on the road. 

In fact, both teams have now scored in their last six of their last seven away games, with their last away outing a 2-1 defeat to Watford at Vicarage Road. I think there’s enough evidence to suggest that both teams can score here, at a decent price. 

Offers

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