Derby County vs Swansea City Lineups, Prediction, Team News, Injury And Preview

Match Overview

Detail	Information
Competition	EFL Championship 2025/26 – Matchweek 32
Date	Saturday, 14 February 2026
Kick-off Time	8:30 PM Local Time
Venue	Pride Park Stadium, Derby
Derby Position	11th (45 points from 31 games)
Swansea Position	15th (42 points from 31 games)
Gap to Playoffs	Derby: 2 points, Swansea: 5 points

Key Facts

• Derby County holds the second-best away record in the Championship this season but struggles at home with only four wins from 16 matches at Pride Park.
• Swansea City manager Vitor Matos has collected 25 points from 15 games since taking charge on November 24, ranking seventh-best in the division during that period.
• Derby recently suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town after thrashing Bristol City 5-0 away from home.
• Swansea enters this fixture on a two-game winning streak, including a dominant 4-0 victory over bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday.
• The teams sit just three points apart in the Championship table, making this a crucial playoff race encounter.
• Derby has won only one home game at Pride Park since November 5, a 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough.
• Swansea has lost nine of their 15 away fixtures since mid-August but recently secured consecutive clean sheets at Oxford United and Watford.

Derby County vs Swansea City Preview and Prediction

Derby County faces Swansea City in a critical Championship clash that could reshape the playoff picture.

Manager John Eustace finds his team in an unusual position where their away form significantly outperforms their home results.

The Rams have collected four of their five recent wins on the road, creating a puzzling pattern for supporters at Pride Park.

The home side’s inconsistency presents both opportunity and concern. Their recent 5-0 demolition of Bristol City demonstrated their attacking capabilities, yet the subsequent 2-1 loss to Ipswich highlighted defensive vulnerabilities.

Derby remains just two points from sixth place despite these fluctuations, showing the competitive nature of the Championship’s middle section.

Swansea arrives in better form under Vitor Matos. The Portuguese manager has transformed the Swans’ fortunes since November, implementing a system that has yielded positive results.

Their recent performances show defensive solidity, particularly the clean sheets at Oxford and Watford, followed by an emphatic attacking display against Sheffield Wednesday.

The tactical battle will center on Derby’s need to convert home advantage into points against Swansea’s improving away form.

Both teams recognize that victory could launch them into genuine playoff contention, while defeat might see them lose touch with the top six.

Predicted Derby County vs Swansea City Lineups and Formations

Derby County Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

• Goalkeeper: Josh Vickers
• Defense: Kane Ward, Sonny Batth, Curtis Clarke, Callum Murkin
• Midfield: David Ozoh, Kenzo Fraulo
• Attacking Midfield: Ben Brereton Diaz, Sammie Szmodics, Rhian Brewster
• Forward: Jerry Agyemang

Swansea City Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

• Goalkeeper: Lawrence Vigouroux
• Defense: Josh Galbraith, Ben Cabango, Kyle Burgess, Josh Tymon
• Midfield: Matt Stamenic
• Attacking Midfield: Ronald, Goncalo Franco, Liam Cullen, Eom Ji-sung (Nunes)
• Forward: Zan Vipotnik

Injury Report and Impact Analysis

Derby County Injuries

Suspended: Lewis Travis (one-match ban following red card against Ipswich)

Doubtful: Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (virus), Callum Elder (injury assessment), Dion Sanderson (injury assessment)

Ruled Out: Max Johnston (unavailable until March)

Available: Sammie Szmodics (eligible after missing Ipswich game due to parent club clause)

Swansea City Injuries

No significant injury concerns reported. Manager Vitor Matos expected to field a similar lineup to the Sheffield Wednesday victory.

Key Injury Impact

Lewis Travis’s suspension creates a significant gap in Derby’s midfield. The midfielder’s absence removes defensive stability and ball-winning capabilities from the center of the park.

David Ozoh and Kenzo Fraulo will shoulder increased responsibility in protecting the back four.

Sammie Szmodics becomes available for his Derby debut, potentially providing creative spark in the attacking third. His addition offers John Eustace tactical flexibility and fresh attacking options.

Swansea’s clean bill of health gives Vitor Matos selection consistency, allowing him to maintain the momentum and understanding developed during their recent winning run.

Where to Watch Live

India: FanCode, Club Channel (home), Club Channel (away)

United States: CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV

United Kingdom: Club streaming services with geographical restrictions

Canada: DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada

Australia: beIN SPORTS 2, beIN Sports Connect

International: Bet365 (with geographical restrictions), official club streaming platforms

Broadcast availability varies by region. Viewers should check local listings and subscription requirements with official broadcasters.

Head-to-Head Analysis

The recent history between these teams shows competitive encounters with narrow margins.

Last Five Meetings:

• November 26, 2025: Swansea 1-2 Derby (Championship)
• April 5, 2025: Swansea 1-0 Derby (Championship)
• November 28, 2024: Derby 1-2 Swansea (Championship)
• April 9, 2022: Swansea 2-1 Derby (Championship)
• October 2, 2021: Derby 0-0 Swansea (Championship)

Swansea holds a slight advantage in recent fixtures, winning three of the last five encounters. Derby’s most recent victory came in November 2025 with a 2-1 away win at the Swansea.com Stadium. The matches typically produce few goals, with four of the last five containing three goals or fewer.

Statistical Analysis

Derby County Season Stats

• Home Record: 4 wins from 16 matches
• Away Record: Second-best in Championship
• Recent Form: 5 wins from last 14 games
• Goals For: 45 (31 games)
• Goals Against: 39 (31 games)
• Goal Difference: +6

Swansea City Season Stats

• Away Record: 9 losses from 15 fixtures since mid-August
• Recent Form: 25 points from 15 games under Matos
• Goals For: 38 (31 games)
• Goals Against: 37 (31 games)
• Goal Difference: +1

Derby averages 1.45 goals per game while Swansea averages 1.23. Defensively, both teams concede approximately 1.2 goals per match, suggesting tight defensive organization.

Tactical Analysis

Derby employs a 4-2-3-1 formation emphasizing width and quick transitions.

Their away success stems from counter-attacking efficiency, though this approach struggles when opponents sit deep at Pride Park. John Eustace needs his attacking midfielders to create space and unlock organized defenses.

Swansea mirrors this formation but focuses on possession-based build-up play. Vitor Matos prioritizes defensive solidity before attacking, evidenced by recent clean sheets.

The Swans look to control midfield tempo through Matt Stamenic and exploit wide areas with overlapping fullbacks.

The midfield battle will determine the outcome. Without Lewis Travis, Derby lacks a natural ball-winner, potentially allowing Swansea to dictate possession.

However, Derby’s attacking quality through Szmodics and Brereton Diaz could exploit spaces behind Swansea’s advancing fullbacks.

Key Players to Watch

Jerry Agyemang (Derby)

The forward’s movement and finishing ability will test Swansea’s defensive organization. His hold-up play creates opportunities for attacking midfielders.

Sammie Szmodics (Derby)

Making his debut, the creative midfielder brings Championship experience and goal-scoring threat from advanced positions.

Zan Vipotnik (Swansea)

The striker’s recent form includes crucial goals. His physical presence challenges Derby’s center-backs.

Liam Cullen (Swansea)

After scoring against Sheffield Wednesday, the midfielder provides energy and attacking runs from deep positions.

Championship Standings

Derby sits 11th with 45 points, two behind sixth-placed Bristol City (46 points). Swansea occupies 15th with 42 points. Victory for Derby strengthens playoff credentials, while Swansea win closes the gap to five points with games remaining.

The playoff race remains congested with multiple teams separated by small margins. Both clubs recognize this fixture’s importance in maintaining realistic top-six ambitions.

Derby County vs Swansea City Prediction

Derby’s home struggles contrast sharply with Swansea’s improving form under Vitor Matos.

The visitors’ defensive organization and recent momentum suggest they can exploit Pride Park’s difficult atmosphere for the home side.

Lewis Travis’s absence weakens Derby’s midfield protection, potentially allowing Swansea to control possession.

Predicted Score: Derby County 1-2 Swansea City

Swansea’s tactical discipline and Derby’s home inconsistency point toward an away victory. The match will likely remain tight throughout, with Swansea securing a late winner to continue their playoff push.

Read Portsmouth vs Sheffield United.

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