Northampton vs Derby

England League One

Derby County is poised to continue their quest for promotion as they journey to Sixfields to face Northampton Town this Saturday.

Sitting comfortably in second place on the League One table, the Rams are gearing up to challenge Northampton Town, who currently reside in the 14th position. While Northampton ended February on a high note with a three-game unbeaten streak, their performance this month has faltered, only managing to secure two points from their last five matches.

Under Jon Brady's guidance, Northampton recently faced draws against Charlton Athletic and Cambridge United, coupled with a hefty loss to Peterborough United, followed by consecutive defeats against Blackpool and Wycombe Wanderers.

Despite their recent struggles, Northampton can take solace in their mid-table position, marking a successful return to the third tier since the 2020-21 season. Nevertheless, they aim to reverse their fortunes and aim for a top-half finish in the remaining seven matches.

With a recent scoring drought of just one goal in their last five games, Northampton must enhance their attacking prowess to challenge Derby County, known for their solid defense, ranking third-best in the division.

Derby has bounced back from a couple of defeats in February with an impressive four-game winning streak. Starting with consecutive 3-0 victories over Port Vale and Bristol Rovers, they followed up with wins against Reading and Bolton Wanderers.

Their latest victory, sealed by Kane Wilson's 78th-minute strike, secured a crucial 1-0 win over promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers, pushing them four points clear of third place.

Derby is aware that a fifth consecutive victory this weekend would not only extend their lead over Bolton to seven points but also bring them within two points of league leaders Portsmouth.

In their previous encounter in October's reverse fixture, Derby triumphed over Northampton with a convincing 4-0 win. However, Northampton faces challenges with key players sidelined due to injuries and international commitments.

As for Derby, they will be without Dwight Gayle due to a hamstring issue, while James Collins is nearing fitness but will miss Saturday's fixture. Additionally, Josh Vickers, Jake Rooney, Ryan Nyambe, and Tyreece John-Jules are unavailable, with Tyrese Fornah a doubt.

On a brighter note, Conor Washington is set to make his return to the squad after a lengthy absence.

Expected Lineups:

Northampton Town:

Moulden; Sherring, Moore, Guthrie, Monthe; McWilliams, Sowerby; Pinnock, Leonard, Hoskins; Simpson

Derby County:

Wildsmith; Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth; Ward, Hourihane, Adams, Sibley; Barkuizen; Mendez-Laing, Waghorn