Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Championship match
Derby County played confidently last League One season. They were easily promoted to the Championship. Blackburn hardly managed to avoid relegation. Only goals scored by Szmodics saved the side from a complete upset.
Blackburn
The Irish forward didn’t just help Blackburn stay in the league, he had a truly amazing season, scoring 27+6, which is six goals more than the second top scorer James Armstrong. In the pre-season Samuel Szmodics didn’t stand out, but Blackburn lost only to Nuremberg in seven friendly matches. The signings of Yuki Ohashi and Makhtar Gueye made the fans happy, as they will add strength to the team.
Derby County
After a short stay in the first league, Derby is back in the Championship with the single goal of trying to become a mid-table team. It seems the start of the season will be tough for the team. In the seven friendly matches they conceded 13 goals, only keeping two draws. The team signed Ebou Adams and Kenzo Goudmijn, but lost some free agents.
Prediction
Blackburn has won the last four games against Derby since September 2020. The opening game of the Championship season should be dominated by Blackburn, which has more experience.
