John Eustace will be relishing West Brom v Derby County for one clear reason | OneFootball

Derby's recent record against West Brom is incredibly impressive

Derby County's return to Championship action after the international break sees them take on a West Bromwich Albion side who have started life well under Ryan Mason.

The Baggies are one of four sides through four games to remain unbeaten, and currently sit second, having won three and drawn one before the first international break.

For Derby, it's been a slow start for John Eustace in his first full season in the Pride Park dugout, as he gets to grips with a squad that has undergone wholesale changes over the summer, with 13 players signed in the most recent transfer window.

The Rams have hit the front foot going forward. Carlton Morris has four goals in four, and their team's scoring tally is actually higher than their opponents this Saturday. However, they've been uncharacteristically bad defensively under Eustace, conceding 11 times, which is mainly why Derby have just two points in their opening four games.

However, performances and results have improved game by game, and a mightily-strong recent head-to-head record against this weekend's opponents will have Rams fans hopeful of a first win of the season.

Derby County's impressive head-to-head record against West Bromwich Albion

Since West Brom's eight-year stay in the Premier League ended in May 2018, Derby have had the Baggies' number on a number of occasions, not just in the Championship, but in all competitions.

The Rams have won each of their last five meetings with West Brom, which included a win this season on penalties in the EFL Cup first round.

In fact, since the Baggies were relegated in 2018, Derby have won five of the eight league meetings between the two, with West Brom's only triumph coming in July 2020, the season which culminated in Premier League promotion.

That win actually saw Slaven Bilic's head to the top of the table, thanks to goals from Grady Diangana and Dara O'Shea.

Since then, though, it's been woe for West Brom, who have managed to score just three times in the six meetings since in all competitions.

They failed to score past the Rams' defence in the season Derby were relegated to League One, and then had the double done over them last season, including a 3-1 defeat at the Hawthorns, where the two meet this Saturday.

Derby County's recent performances will have them hoping for a first league win of the season against West Brom

Derby were poor through the opening two games, conceding eight in losses to Stoke City and Coventry City, two of the early pace setters in the Championship this season.

Since then, though, you get the feeling that the new-look Rams squad are beginning to settle in more under Eustace, and their final two league performances before the international break were much improved.

Derby were good value for their point against Bristol City, having gone 1-0 down early, and then Ipswich Town needed a penalty in the 16th minute of stoppage time to salvage a point in their last game.

Despite a performance improvement, the international break has come at a good time for the Rams, too, as Eustace can spend two weeks with his new players and integrate his style over a longer period of training.

It's only a matter of time before they get one in the win column in the Championship, and whilst West Brom