Derby County

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Derby County's on-loan forward Ben Brereton Diaz was on the scoresheet as Chile beat Cape Verde 4-2 in their Fifa series match in Auckland on Friday afternoon.

The 26-year-old is on a season-long loan from Southampton and opened the scoring for the South Americans in the 16th minute of the game at Eden Park for his 10th international goal in his 41st appearance.

Cape Verde who, unlike Chile, have qualified for this year's World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, went in at the break 2-1 in front before conceding three goals in 21 second-half minutes.

Chile will play hosts New Zealand in their second game of the mini tournament on Monday, with the home nation having lost 2-0 to Finland at the same venue later in the day.

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Derby forward Sam Szmodics has praised the medical staff who helped him after he was knocked unconscious while playing for the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup play-off defeat by the Czech Republic on Tuesday night.

The 30-year-old, who is on loan at the Rams from Ipswich Town, was left on the ground in Prague following an aerial challenge, six minutes after coming on as a substitute in extra-time.

He left the pitch on a stretcher and was taken to hospital where head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson confirmed shortly after the game he was conscious.

"Gutted the way it ended. Fans and boys immense all evening," Szmodics said in a post on X., external

"Appreciate everyone's messages and thank you to the medical staff who acted so quickly to help me. On the mend."

The Republic led 2-0 inside 25 minutes of the tie only to be pegged back by the home side and go on to lose 4-3 on penalties.

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Solihull Moors have signed centre-back Daniel Cox on loan for the rest of the season from Championship side Derby County.

The 20-year-old joined Walsall in League Two on a season-long loan at the start of the campaign but was recalled by the Rams in January.

Cox made seven appearances for the Saddlers, including three starts in the league.

He moves to the Moors for the final eight games of the season and is the club's second signing of the week following the arrival on Tuesday of former Carlisle striker Tobi Sho-Silva on loan from Kidderminster Harriers.

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter

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Four straight home wins is probably enough evidence to suggest Derby have the stamina to maintain their Championship play-off charge.

Back-to-back 1-0 wins in the past week have also underlined their capability to be a resilient and durable team.

However, they ought to have beaten Birmingham by more.

The January addition of Sammie Szmodics and the return from injury of Carlton Morris means John Eustace has an attacking armoury to rival any other side in the play-off race.

At the back, 37-year-old goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell - Blackpool's second-choice last season in League One - looks wily and assured as he continues to deputise in the absence of both Jacob Zetterstrom and Josh Vickers. Centre-back Matt Clarke appears to be able to head the ball as well as any defender in the division.

Derry Murkin - another of Derby's mid-season acquisitions - brings balance and athleticism on the left.

The Rams had boundless energy on Saturday and the home fans appeared to appreciate that alone. This latest impressive showing indicated Derby are at least a force to be reckoned with in the promotion race.

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby following Saturday's 1-0 win against Birmingham City.

"I thought it was a dominant performance. From the first minute to the last I was very proud of the effort of the group," he said.

"We were on the front foot, we played no-fear football today and the way we went about our business was really pleasing.

"When you go away to Portsmouth on Monday and put on a really dogged performance to come away with a 1-0, it's always nice to back it up with a home performance like that to get another three points.

"Rhian has been on fire recently with his goal contributions, and it was a top finish from a great ball and great bit of play."

Jobi McAnuff believes just five teams are fighting it out for two Championship play-off spots.

In the latest edition of the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast, Aaron Paul and McAnuff were joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL.

Watford's 3-1 win over Wrexham on Tuesday opened the door for Southampton to take over the Welsh side's top-six spot - and they did so, winning 1-0 against Norwich on Wednesday.

Watford are ninth, five points behind the Saints with eight games to go, while Birmingham are a further two points behind in 10th.

McAnuff said: "Watford are still in the mix. I feel like seven points feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. Birmingham feels a little far away.

"Southampton are the ones I believed would come through and get a play-off place.

"A couple of weeks ago I'd have said there's only one place up for grabs (sixth). That's changed now, (fifth-placed) Hull have been really inconsistent so they have been brought into it a lot more.

"You've got Easter coming up, six points can go in a week. You have a quick turnaround. If you can put a run of games together you can really jump up four or five places in the space of a few days. Anyone down to Watford (can make it), Birmingham feels a little too far away at this stage."

John Eustace has praised the togetherness of his Derby County players in the lead up to Saturday's fixture at home to Birmingham City.

The meeting at Pride Park (12:30 GMT) is between two sides striving for a play-off place, with Derby eight in the table and Blues two places and four points behind them.

Eustace was not afraid to highlight how the sides differ off the pitch, with Blues bankrolled by high-profile backers, including American financier Tom Wagner and NFL legend Tom Brady, while the Rams are owned by local property developer David Clowes.

"We are playing against a top team, a fantastic coach, they've invested very very heavily," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

"Just to be talking in that same breath of two teams trying to get into the top six from where we are to where Birmingham are, full credit to the group of players.

"With the investment that they have had, and where we are, we are starting to build now.

"Just to be competing in this top six or seven area of the league is full credit to the boys, they have done terrific."

A victory for the Rams against Birmingham, who have won only one of their past five Championship fixtures, would put Derby seven points clear of the West Midlands outfit.

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Former Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United defender Leigh Bromby has signed a permanent contract to become Derby County's talent acquisition lead.

The 45-year-old takes the new role after a spell as the club's interim recruitment lead as the Rams look to build their sporting intelligence department.

His duties will include working alongside boss John Eustace to identify suitable talent, overseeing transfer deals and implementing development plans for players such as academy graduate Owen Eames.

Ben Jones has also joined the club as their new talent identification lead, focusing on scouting players for the first team through to the academy.

Jones has previous experience working with Premier League side Chelsea as their lead academy recruitment analyst and joins the side from the Football Association.

Play-off chasers Derby County and Birmingham City will face-off at Pride Park on Saturday (12:30 GMT) in hopes of strengthening their promotion bids.

The Rams are just three points adrift of current sixth placed Southampton, albeit their goal difference will likely mean they won't be able to sneak into the spot this weekend even if results elsewhere do go their way.

While Birmingham have some work to do with seven points to make up and could find themselves out of contention soon if they can't find some much needed victories, especially on the road.

• Derby are winless in their last four league games against Birmingham (D2 L2), last having a longer run without beating them between 1996 and 2009 (7 games – D3 L4).

• Birmingham and Derby drew in this season's reverse fixture (1-1 on Boxing Day 2025), despite the Blues having their highest possession average (73.7%) and second-most shots (25) in a Championship match this season.

• Derby have won their last three home games in the Championship, while they last won four in a row in the competition in January-February 2021 under Wayne Rooney (4).

• Only Sheffield Wednesday (13) have scored fewer goals in Championship away games than Birmingham (15) this season. Indeed, the Blues have lost and failed to score in their most recent two (0-3 v Millwall and 0-1 v Charlton).

• Derby have the most Championship wins in games with fewer than 40% possession this season (12), including doing so in their most recent league outing (1-0 v Portsmouth with 32.5% possession).

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

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The idea of almost 1,400 Rams fans travelling to Portsmouth to watch their team probably wouldn't shock you.

However, on a normal Monday night in March, it becomes incredibly impressive. Particularly when you factor in that the game was selected for live television broadcast.

For me, these kind of 'away days' are the best ones.

Spending your whole afternoon and evening on a coach with dozens of other people who share the same passion, talking tactics with strangers, stopping at motorway service stations to fuel yourself with some underwhelming fast food, watching people pull on scarves and hoodies etched with the clubs logo, as they step out into a city hundreds of miles away from home, ready to take over for the night.

Singing your heart out in an old-school terrace as your team go 1-0 up, cheering and rallying every tackle, save and block, whilst your nails are nervously bitten.

Finally feeling like the trek has all been worth it as the full-time whistle blows.

Boarding the coach back home and breaking the game down with those same strangers from the outward journey, who have now become acquaintances. Expressing how we made it difficult for ourselves in the second half, but getting the job done was all that mattered. Watching highlights back on a phone screen shared between four, with everyone desperate to catch a glimpse of the match-winning moment again.

Three and a half hours back up motorways and A-roads in the middle of the night, hitting heavy traffic to pile on some more time to what already feels like a never-ending journey.

When some choose to sleep, others choose to look back on videos, images, and now fond memories, of a trip that got you called every possible synonym of crazy when you told your friends and family you were doing it.

Are you really crazy? Or is this just what following your team is all about?

Over 15 hours spent out of the house, getting back into bed at 3:30am, maybe even needing to be back in work just a couple of hours later.

But it doesn't matter. That 1-0 victory is all that does, and that terrible services burger, the miles of traffic you sat in, the battered old-school away end, the waves of pressure your team came under, and those bags under your eyes, will soon be forgotten.

The celebratory hugs as the ball hit the net, the friendly banter in the pub with welcoming home fans before the game, the laughs and jokes shared with your friends and family who were 'crazy' enough to make the trip with you, that glimmer of hope that this team could still make something special happen this season. That's what will be remembered. The true magic of football.

See you in Coventry.

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

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There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

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Derby County match-winner Sammie Szmodics says he's enjoying the "pressure" of expectation as the Rams push for a place in the Championship play-offs.

The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international arrived on loan from Ipswich in January, scoring his second goal for the club in Monday's 1-0 win at strugglers Portsmouth.

It leaves the Rams three points off the top six ahead of Wrexham's game at Watford on Tuesday.

Szmodics told BBC Derby: "Positive or negative, I enjoy the pressure. I've worked so hard to get to this level, and I've worked so hard to have that pressure on my name.

"There's big names in the changing-room, and we're here to score goals. If we're not doing that, we're open to pressure and criticism, and that drives us on".

Szmodics scored one goal in 18 appearances for Ipswich before his loan move, and Tractor Boys head coach Kieran McKenna admitted Szmodics' departure "wasn't a football decision", but about the "values of our dressing room and of our team".

Szmodics has chosen to let his performances do the talking: "Listen - there are things said in football, there are opinions and different sides in football you don't get to hear.

"I just focus on playing football. As soon as I knew there was interest from Derby and John Eustace, it was something I couldn't turn down.

"I'm just focusing on getting match fit and enjoying scoring goals, and hopefully leading Derby back into the play-offs.

"Its been a bit of a stop-start season at the beginning, so to come here at a great football club and score two goals, I feel like I'm getting my season underway and getting that match fitness and match sharpness.

"To score the winner and put us that step closer to the play-offs is what I've been brought in to do, and hopefully I can score many more."

Derby County assistant head coach Matt Gardiner spoke to BBC Radio Derby following Monday's 1-0 win at Portsmouth.

"Hopefully everyone could see that was a real battling performance from the boys. The whole group came together to see us over the line," he said.

"We had to defend the box for our lives, our shape was excellent and we had some really good transition opportunities. On another day, with a bit more quality, we could have scored a few more goals.

"It's a tough place to come, so to get that early goal gave us something to hang on to. But we tried to be positive and tried to get a second."

On boss John Eustace working remotely from the stands: "We were all mic'd up and John was watching the game and communicating down.

"He had the helicopter view so was able to pass it on, so we were able to navigate it. But it will be good to have him back on Saturday."

Portsmouth's bid for Championship survival will continue when they welcome Derby to Fratton Park on Monday (20:00 GMT).

Pompey suffered a third defeat in four when they lost at home to Swansea last time out and will be looking to pick up three valuable points in their bid to steer clear of the drop zone.

Derby have a chance to get back on track after losing ground in their hunt for a play-off place when they were beaten 1-0 at Millwall and The Rams know how vital a win here will be.

• Portsmouth are winless in 11 league games against Derby (D7 L4) since a 3-1 home victory against the Rams in the 2007-08 Premier League campaign.

• Four of the last five league meetings between Portsmouth and Derby at Fratton Park have ended as draws, with the Rams winning 2-1 in the other game in 2011-12.

• Portsmouth's current 11-game league winless run against Derby is the third-longest current active streak; they are only on a longer winless run against Chelsea (26 games) and Arsenal (18 games).

• Derby manager John Eustace is unbeaten in his three Championship meetings with Portsmouth (W1 D2), last losing against them as player or manager in February 2012 when he was a sub in a 2-0 defeat for Watford.

• Portsmouth's Conor Chaplin has been involved in four goals in seven league games against Derby (2 goals, 2 assists), although his two goals were scored at Pride Park.

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

Image source, Amelia Warren

I remember it as if it was yesterday.

The 12th of March 2011. Derby County vs Swansea City. A game that, on paper, most would deem your average Championship fixture.

However, for seven-year-old me, it was about to become my fondest memory supporting the Rams.

Weeks earlier, I'd come home from school to my mum, dad, and brother surrounding the kitchen table, pushing a pretty formal looking letter in my direction.

"Dear Amelia, we are delighted to tell you that you have been selected as mascot for our home fixture against Swansea City on the 12th of March 2011."

I must have read the letter five or six times, and had it read out to me by both of my parents, before I realised I had just received the best news any young football fan can possibly receive.

Meeting my heroes, walking out of the tunnel, being on the Pride Park pitch.

Overjoyed doesn't even begin to describe the feeling.

Sporting a full home kit, and a huge smile of course, I made my way around the dressing room with an autograph book, collecting the signatures of the entire squad.

I recall being asked which player I'd like to have my picture taken with by the club's professional photographer, and quickly replying with one of my all time favourite Rams players, Paul Green, before being taken out to the pitch to soak up the atmosphere and have a kick about with Rammie.

Enjoying my time out on the hallowed turf made an hour pass in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, a friendly Welsh accent was greeting me in the tunnel. Posing the question, "do you think we're going to win then?"

As I looked up to Derby's captain at the time, Robbie Savage, I simply nodded and said "it will be 2-1 to Derby, I've dreamt about it."

I remember him smiling as he offered me a high five, and expressed his appreciation for my confidence, before walking us out to the famous Pride Park roar.

My dreams had come true in more ways than one that afternoon, as Derby put a stop to some terrible form that had seen them only win once in 12 matches, overcoming the Swans 2-1. Of course.

When I look back at my time supporting Derby, from play-off heartache, to famous victories over our rivals, to the dark days of administration, and more recently the joy of promotion, I always recall that magical day at Pride Park in 2011.

The day I truly believe I fell in love with Derby County.

Standing in the away end at The Den on Tuesday night, hands on head, wondering how on earth we'd managed not to come away with something from the game, I realised I'm no different to that seven-year-old girl who walked out at Pride Park with Robbie Savage.

This club still makes me feel as passionate and proud as ever.

Fifteen years on, and a lifetime left to come. Whether it's a long mid week trip in the rain, or a Saturday afternoon home match in the sun. My inner seven-year-old will always be there, cheering us on every step of the way.

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

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Derby County midfielder Lewis Travis says the frustration of losing at Millwall on Tuesday will not diminish the Rams' desire to reach the Championship play-offs.

Josh Coburn's first-half goal earned Millwall victory against a Rams side that were left to rue a number of missed opportunities, even before Patrick Agyemang hit the post in search of a stoppage-time equaliser.

Derby's fourth defeat in seven games has left them seventh in the table, three points adrift of Wrexham in the play-off spots immediately above them after the Welsh side were beaten by Hull City.

When asked if there were a feeling of frustration in the dressing room after the loss, Travis told BBC Radio Derby: "Yeah, 100%.

"It was a tough one to take given the chances we had.

"We had four golden opportunities, and we have played games in the past with less opportunities and won. It's just about being clinical and today we didn't get the rub of the green.

"We are all competitors and are dying, dying, dying to get into the top six. And we feel that was three points [dropped], but there are nine games left and there is no reason why we can't go put a run together to get into the top six."

Derby are next back in action on Monday when they travel to face Portsmouth.

You can listen to all the latest Derby County interviews and analysis from BBC Radio Derby on the club's BBC Sounds page.

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Derby boss John Eustace says his players must learn the lessons from their painful defeat at Millwall.

Derby lost ground in the play-off race when they were beaten 1-0 at The Den and they missed three good chances near the end, while Patrick Agyemang hit the post in stoppage time.

Eustace told BBC Radio Derby: "I'm disappointed to lose. I thought second half, we were excellent and we've got to take the chances when they're given to us.

"It just wasn't good enough today. In the first half, we didn't get tight enough in midfield. That was very evident and we made changes at half-time, we were a lot more competitive.

"You know to concede again, another soft goal on our part. Millwall are going to score from free-kicks and corners and for us not to defend the second or third phase is disappointing. We have to learn from it and we have to stop conceding those kind of goals.

"I think the free-kick, which led to their goal certainly wasn't a free-kick. I think sometimes, you know, it just takes a bit of a calm head to make the right decisions. I've got to be careful what I say, of course, but even at the end, it could easily have been a penalty for the foul.

"So listen, we're disappointed, but we've got to take a lot of heart and we were very positive in the second half. We've come to a team third in the league, doing very well, and put in a really good performance in that second half."

Derby County cannot relax and treat the remaining 10 Championship games as a free hit, according to boss John Eustace.

Having avoided relegation on the final day of last season, the Rams go into Tuesday's game at Millwall (19:45 GMT) in seventh place, three points short of the play-offs.

Expectations have dramatically shifted from 2025 as the Rams are firmly in the play-off race and outside of matches against Millwall, Southampton and Coventry, seven of their remaining 10 fixtures are against teams placed 11th and below in the table.

"When you play for Derby County there's pressure on every game no matter where you are in the league," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby.

"We want to be competitive and win very game we play and that pressure comes from playing for this fantastic football club."

Derby have won their past two matches and are hoping to make it three successive victories for only the second time this season and Eustace feels there is a level of expectation that comes with representing the club.

"Even when you're doing well you still get scrutinised - but there are a lot of positive people out there who realise this is a huge turnaround from where we were," he added.

Listen to more Derby County interviews and content on BBC Sounds.