Derby v Birmingham: relegation fight meets draw specialists | OneFootball

Derby County face Birmingham City in the Championship at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, 12 September 2026, with the hosts seeking points to climb out of the bottom three and the visitors aiming to turn a run of stalemates into a platform.

Derby County won the most recent meeting 1-0 in March 2026, but Birmingham City have proved stubborn this term, drawing four of their six league games to sit mid-table.

Derby have one win and one draw from six, with four defeats leaving them 22nd. Birmingham have lost just once, yet their four draws underline a team that is hard to shift away from home as well as at St Andrew's.

Injuries could shape selection. Derby are listing defenders Craig Forsyth and Matthew Clarke, forwards Carlton Morris and Rhian Brewster, and wing-back Derry Murkin among those sidelined, with Patrick Agyemang also out. Birmingham's absent list includes Demarai Gray, Patrick Roberts, Max Bird, Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Jhon Solís.

Tactically, Birmingham's route may run wide. They have three headed goals, 138 aerial duels won and 105 open-play crosses, with a cross accuracy of 21.90%. The Rams, who have scored five and conceded 11, have delivered 110 open-play crosses at 22.73% and pass with 79.49% accuracy, so Derby could look to control phases with neater build-up while staying tighter at the back against an aerial threat.

A win would lift Derby to seven points and could ease relegation pressure. Victory for Birmingham would take them to 10 points and may nudge them towards the top half and the early play-off picture.