Preview: Derby County vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Derby County play host to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon knowing that victory will get them back into the mix for survival in the Championship.

While inconsistency has cost the visitors in recent weeks, they head into the fixture at Pride Park sitting just one point adrift of fifth position.

Match preview

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With talk of an American billionaire expressing an interest in becoming the new owner of the club, Derby supporters have reason to be less pessimistic about their future.

Nevertheless, despite putting together a five-match unbeaten streak in the Championship, the Rams remain six points adrift of safety with the prospect of further sanctions to come.

Wayne Rooney will stress that his players must ignore any off-the-field issues as they bid to pull off one of the most unlikely survival acts in the history of the division.

On that front, it has been so far so good with Derby battling back to claim a point at high-flying Coventry City last time out, collecting their second successive point from a top-five team in the process.

More goals will eventually have to be scored in the final third, but Rooney will take pride from his team boasting the joint second-best defensive record in the league.

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From Blackburn's perspective, they make the trip to the East Midlands possessing one of the best attacking returns with 23 goals coming from 14 outings.

Their front three of Tyrhys Dolan, Sam Gallagher and Ben Brereton Diaz have scored all but five of those strikes, as well as chipping in with five assists.

While some will argue that a heavy reliance on that trio will not benefit Rovers in the long term, Tony Mowbray will feel that there is scope for the three attackers to build on their impressive start to the campaign.

Blackburn also head into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 triumph over Reading, posting just their third clean sheet since the beginning of August.

Team News

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Despite having made a quicker-than-expected return from injury, Colin Kazim-Richards is likely to remain on the Derby substitutes' bench.

Louie Sibley could take the place of Festy Ebosele on the right flank, but the rest of the team may stay the same.

Mowbray is hopeful that Daniel Ayala will shake off an issue with his calf to keep his place in the Blackburn XI, with Jan Paul van Hecke on standby if the Spaniard misses out.

The same applies to Ryan Nyambe, who was forced off after an hour with cramp last time out, but Harry Pickering is again expected to be sidelined through injury.

Given the standard of their performance against Reading, Mowbray may stick with the remainder of the side.

Derby County possible starting lineup:
Roos; Byrne, Jagielka, Davies, Buchanan; Morrison, Bird, Shinnie; Sibley, Lawrence, Jozwiak

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Nyambe, Lenihan, Ayala, Edun; Buckley, Travis, Rothwell; Dolan, Gallagher, Brereton Diaz

We say: Derby County 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

Under pressure to turn draws into wins, Derby are going to have to throw caution to the wind at some stage. They may view this contest as an ideal opportunity to do just that, but we are backing Blackburn's attacking players to capitalise at the other end.