Derby County are back in Championship action against Cardiff City this weekend.
The Rams are aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 season at Pride Park when they host the Welsh outfit in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, September 14th.
Derby beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in their first home outing of the season before seeing off Bristol City in their second fixture on home soil prior to the international break.
However, Paul Warne’s men have lost their first two matches on the road this term, leaving them in a very respectable 10th place ahead of this weekend’s game.
| Position | Team | PlayedMP | WonW | DrawnD | LostL | ForGF | AgainstGA | DiffGD | PointsPts |
| 8 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 |  Oxford UnitedOxford United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 10 | DerbyDerby | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 11 |  Stoke CityStoke City | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 6 |
| 12 |  QPRQPR | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 5 |
Cardiff City, on the other hand, are still yet to pick up a single win this campaign and are currently dead bottom of the division.
In turn, Derby have been predicted to beat Cardiff and potentially even climb into a play-off place depending on how results elsewhere go over the weekend.
- READ MORE: Sky Sports pundit names four ‘solid’ players who will be crucial in Derby County survival bid
Derby County injury update ahead of Cardiff City clash
Ahead of the game, Warne has been dealing with a few fitness issues.
Ben Osborn has been out injured recently along with Eiran Cashin and Kane Wilson.
However, Cashin has already returned to action and there has been some good news on the Osborn and Wilson front this week.
BBC Sport journalist Dominic Dietrich took to X/Twitter on Thursday to share a Derby injury update, in which he confirmed Osborn has been training all week, Wilson will get back on the grass on September 12th but Tawanda Chirewa will miss Saturday’s game.
He wrote: “Team news for Cardiff City. Tawanda Chirewa out through concussion protocols so wont be available on Saturday. Ben Osborn has trained all week and Kane Wilson joins back in today.”
Who will Paul Warne start for Derby County instead of Tawanda Chirewa
Derby have signed Chirewa on a season-long loan from Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 20-year-old is expected to add some pace and creative spark to Warne’s attack but he is yet to debut in the league this season.
Chirewa featured for 45 minutes in the Carabao Cup defeat to Barrow but was left on the bench versus Bristol City last time out.
The Zimbabwe international, who was dubbed ‘excellent’ by his national team coach in June as per Nehanda Radio, is predominantly deployed on the right wing, a position that has been held down by Kayden Jackson for most of 2024/25 so far.
Jackson has scored two and assisted one in three league games when playing off the right flank in the Championship this term and is expected to maintain his starting berth against Cardiff.