Portsmouth v Derby: what's been said, team news, predicted XIs, referee, match odds, key stats and form guides

Here’s all the stats and big-match details ahead of the game (8pm).

What’s been said

Danny Cowley

‘It’s going to be a tough game, a great game against Derby County.

‘With no Premier League or Championship games this weekend, and the World Cup not starting until Sunday, I think it’s a really good game for our young players and their profiles, and a really good game for our profile and us as a football club to show what we stand for.

‘We’re hoping to be the best versions of ourselves come tonight.’

Paul Warne (dcfc.co.uk)

’I’ve played against them many times, it hasn’t been a hugely popular place for me to go.

‘We’ve watched loads of their matches and they’ll see all of our details too. They are great on the ball.

‘This game is similar to the Ipswich one a month ago. It’s a very difficult place to go to.

‘I took a team there last year with Rotherham that were flying and we got a right good crack and lost.

‘It will be a good test, they’ll want to do well against us with it being two big teams, two big clubs with a lot of history but it just comes down to 22 lads at the pitch at any one time.

‘Hopefully we’ll have enough to cause them some problems, they will cause us some.

‘We’ll know more about us as a group and more about where we need to strengthen come 11pm on Friday.’

Pompey team news

Danny Cowley is hoping he’ll have ‘one or two’ of his walking wounded available to face Derby.

However, he remains cautious on that front, with Clark Robertson, Zak Swanson and Ronan Curtis all still doubts for the visit of the Rams.

Curtis missed the trip to Morecambe following an ankle injury he picked up in the FA Cup first-round win at Hereford.

That saw him join Tom Lowery, Michael Jacobs, Joe Rafferty, Louis Thompson – who is ahead of schedule on his return from a broken leg – and Jayden Reid on the injury list.

And although Marlon Pack was one less number in the treatment room following his welcome return against the Shrimps – he was soon replaced by both Robertson (Achilles) and Swanson (knee), who could not finish last Saturday’s game at the Mazuma Stadium.

The former was replaced at half-time by Denver Hume, after failing to recovery from a challenge by Jacob Bedeau.

Meanwhile, the latter took a knock to his knee in the second half and had to be replaced by Jay Mingi on 84 minutes.

It’s unlikely Lowery will be fit to face Derby, following a setback in his attempt to recovery from a hamstring injury.

The same applies to Jacobs, who is also out with a hamstring complaint.

So that leaves Cowley hoping he can call upon one or two from Robertson, Swanson and Curtis for the visit of Paul Warne’s side.

Predicted XI: Josh Griffiths, Zak Swanson, Sean Raggett, Connor Ogilvie, Denver Hume, Owen Dale, Jay Mingi, Marlon Pack, Reeco Hackett, Colby Bishop, Dane Scarlett.

Derby team news

Paul Warne should have Haydon Roberts (hamstring) and Max Bird (knock) back for the visit to Fratton Park after they were both withdrawn in the Rams’ FA Cup replay win against Torquay on Tuesday night.

Tom Barkhuizen is in contention to start after overcoming a hamstring injury he picked up last month.

However, definitely out are Curtis Davies (knee), James Chester (calf) and Jason Knight (ankle).

Predicted XI: Joe Wildsmith, Korey Smith, Eiran Cashin, Craig Forsyth, Haydon Roberts, Max Bird, Conor Hourihane, David McGoldrick, Lewis Dobbin, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, James Collins.

Matchday odds (Bet365)

Pompey: 11/8

1-0 7/1, 2-0 10/1, 2-1 17/2, 3-0 22/1, 3-1 18/1, 3-2 28/1

Derby: 12/5

1-0 17/2, 2-0 14/1, 2-1 10/1, 3-0 28/1, 3-1 22/1, 3-2 33/1.

Draw: 12/5

0-0 9/1, 1-1 11/2, 2-2 14/1, 3-3 50/1, 4-4 200/1

Match officials

Referee: Neil Hair

Assistants: Alex James and James VallanceFourth official: Craig Hicks

Key Stats (all competitions)

Pompey

Record this season: P22 W10 D9 L3

League position: 5th

Top goalscorer: Colby Bishop (11)

Most Assists: Owen Dale (4)

Discipline: 29 yellows cards, 1 red card

Derby

Record this season: P25 W12 D7 L6

League position: 6th

Top goalscorer: James Collins and David McGoldrick (both 6)

Most Assists: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (5)

Discipline: 35 yellow cards, 2 red cards

Form guide

Pompey

D 1-1 Morecambe (A) – League One

W 3-1 Hereford (A) – FA Cup

D 1-1 AFC Wimbledon (H) – Papa John’s Trophy

D 1-1 Shrewsbury (H) – League One

D 1-1 Oxford United (H) – League One

Derby

W 5-0 Torquay (H) – FA Cup

W 3-1 MK Dons (A) – League One

D 0-0 Liverpool (A) – Carabao Cup (knocked out 3-2 on penalties)

D 2-2 Torquay (A) – FA Cup.

D 1-1 Morecambe (A) – League One

Selected other fixtures (Saturday, 3pm kick-offs unless stated)

Barnsley v MK Dons, Bristol Rovers v Peterborough United, Burton Albion v Plymouth Argyle, Cambridge United v Accrington Stanley, Cheltenham Town v Wycombe Wanderers, Exeter City v Ipswich Town (midday), Fleetwood Town v Bolton Wanderers, Lincoln City v Morecambe, Oxford United v Forest Green Rovers, Port Vale v Charlton Athletic, Sheffield Wednesday v Shrewsbury Town.