Preview | Derby County (A)
The Game
Derby County v Argyle. Pride Park. Saturday, 9 November. 3pm. Sky Bet Championship.
The Opposition
Derby were promoted from League One last season, and are 13th going into this weekend, with 18 points from 14 games.
In Derby’s opening six games, they lost their three away matches – at Blackburn Rovers, Watford and Sheffield United – but kept on winning at Pride Park, beating Middlesbrough, Bristol City and Cardff City, keeping clean sheets in each.
A run of three losses, including the Sheffield United game, and including a home defeat to Norwich City and a fourth away defeat, this time at Sunderland, was ended by another win at home, against Queens Park Rangers.
After the October international break, Derby drew 1-1 three times in succession – away to Millwall and Oxford United, then at home to Hull City – before losing 2-1 at Stoke City, then winning 2-1 at Coventry City on Wednesday night.
The Gaffer
Derby are managed by Paul Warne, who took the job in September 2022, ending a long association with Rotherham United.
With the Millers, he was manager for nearly six years, and continually alternated relegations and promotions. The Millers were a Championship outfit at the time Warne departed, dropping down to League One to take charge at Derby. The Rams finished that season in seventh place, but last term, in his first full season at the helm, Derby finished runners-up to win promotion.
As a player, Warne played over 250 times for Rotherham, from 1998 to 2005, having previously been with Wigan Athletic. He moved on to Oldham Athletic and Yeovil Town among other sides, before concluding his time as a player with Rotherham, eventually transitioning into coaching.
The Squad
The only ever-present in the Derby side this season is former Argyle defender Curtis Nelson. Stoke-born Nelson played 246 times for the Pilgrims, his first professional club, before he moved on to Oxford United. After three years in League One with Oxford, Nelson stepped up to play over 100 times in three years for Cardiff City, before moving briefly to Blackpool, and then on to Derby at the start of last season.
Nelson has two goals this season, joint top of Derby’s goalscoring ranks with fellow defender Kayden Jackson, midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn and forward Jerry Yates (below).
There are two other former Pilgrims in the Derby squad: Tyrese Fornah and Sonny Bradley. Bradley played four times in August but was absent through injury until coming on as a substitute on Wednesday at Coventry. Fornah, meanwhile, is on loan at Salford City.
Callum Elder, who has recently been playing at left-back, came off at half-time against Coventry, and may miss out. Derby will also be without Eiran Cashin, who is suspended having accrued five cautions.
Recent Meetings
Derby and Argyle last met in the 2022/23 season, with Argyle winning both encounters. The game at Home Park was a 2-1 victory, with Callum Wright and Ryan Hardie on target for the Pilgrims, after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had put the Rams in front. Mendez-Laing had also scored in the first game, following in a James Collins goal to put Derby 2-0 up. However, Morgan Whittaker got one back and Sam Cosgrove, making his debut as a substitute, scored twice to complete an amazing comeback.
Tickets
Tickets for this match are now off sale. The match is all-ticket, meaning no more tickets will be sold.
Any uncollected tickets can be picked up from the Away Ticket Office at Pride Park.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will wear their green home kit for this game.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin at 10am, with the Argyle Breakfast show, hosted by Erin Black and Aaron Cusack. They will bring you build-up, interviews, guests and features from the Argyle TV studio, until midday.
Former Argyle and Derby defender Marc Edworthy will join Charlie Price at 2.30pm for the pre-match show, before handing over to the ground for commentary provided by Rob McNichol and Ryan Brunt.
Match passes to watch this game are available to certain international audiences. Click here for more information.
