Derby County boss Paul Warne will be pleased to return to Championship action following the international break as the Rams go in search of their first away win.
Derby have won four of their five matches at Pride Park this term however, on their travels it has been a completely different story.
The Rams have scored just once since their opening day 3-2 defeat against Blackburn Rovers, with Paul Warne’s men tasting defeat to Watford, Sheffield United and Sunderland in the Championship.
A trip to Millwall, meanwhile, could represent a great chance to record their first away win on the board as the Lions have registered just two victories and currently sit 18th on nine points.
Warne will be pleased that David Ozoh has returned to Derby training following a hamstring injury but the 19-year-old isn’t the one earning most of the plaudits heading into the clash.
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Sam Parkin praises Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in Millwall vs Derby prediction
Ozoh has been a revelation since joining Derby on loan but so has goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who was signed from Djurgardens IF for around £1.4 million.
Zetterstrom is one of Derby’s bargain signings of the summer, with the Swedish gloveman keeping three clean sheets in seven matches.
The 26-year-old has played an integral role in the Rams’ strong defensive record, particularly at home, and he’s now received praise from former Luton striker Sam Parkin.
Predicting the scoreline for Millwall against Derby on Saturday, Parkin went with a goalless draw and picked out Zetterstrom for praise.
“I’ll go for the shutout here. We’ve obviously waxed lyrical with the other podcast about the Derby goalkeeper,” Parkin said on the Championship Check-In podcast.
“I think Millwall have conceded the fewest in the bottom half. I’ll take a 0-0 here. I’ll take a little bit of a damp squib post-international break, 0-0.”
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Zetterstrom is Derby’s most important signing
Derby made 11 new signings in the summer but the acquisition of Zetterstrom is arguably the most important.
The Rams released Joe Wildsmith in the summer, who won the League One Golden Glove last term, and they had to find a quality replacement.
Zetterstrom – who was previously wanted by Wolves – is proving to be a perfect replacement and huge upgrade on Wildsmith.
The Sweden international is a towering presence between the sticks and inflicts confidence on the rest of his defence.
In the Championship so far, Zetterstrom is only conceding at a rate of 1.1 goals per game, bettering the likes of James Beadle and Viktor Johansson while averaging three saves per game at a rate of 72%.
Zetterstrom’s above metrics prove what a brilliant signing he’s been, and why he’s going to be crucial in Derby’s survival bid.