Derby v Stoke City: play-off push meets late-season climb | OneFootball

Derby County host Stoke City in the Championship at Pride Park Stadium on Monday, with the hosts chasing the play-off places and the visitors aiming to build on recent momentum.

Derby County sit eighth on 60 points, while Stoke City are 12th with 54. Stoke City won the reverse fixture 3-1 in August.

Derby have three wins in their last five league games but were edged 3-2 at Coventry last time out. Stoke City have two wins in their past three, beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 on Friday.

The hosts are without Callum Elder, Sam Szmodics, Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, Josh Vickers, Rhian Brewster and Jacob Zetterström. The visitors are missing Ben Wilmot, Robert Bozenik, Maksym Talovierov, Viktor Johansson and Junior Tchamadeu.

The Rams' aerial threat could prove important. They have 17 headed goals and a 24.67% open play cross accuracy this season. Stoke City tend to control more of the ball with 52% possession and 13 clean sheets, and Sorba Thomas has 10 league goals and 10 assists. For Derby, Patrick Agyemang and Carlton Morris are on 10 league goals each, with Joe Ward supplying seven assists.

A win would move Derby to 63 points and could pull them closer to the top six. Victory for Stoke City would take them to 57 points and may strengthen their top half standing.