3/1 To Win
Manager Frank Lampard expects a tough clash when he takes his Derby County side to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday evening.
Fresh from beating high-flying Sheffield United 2-1 at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, the Rams face another in-form side in the Baggies tomorrow night (8pm kick-off).
Up until last weekend’s 1-0 defeat against Wigan Athletic, Darren Moore’s side had been unbeaten in the league since August and they currently sit third in the Championship.
Lampard’s side are three points behind the Baggies and a victory on Wednesday night will put them level with their opponents.
However, the manager knows his side face a tough test in the West Midlands.
“Sheffield United were top and now we’re going to West Brom who are just above us and then we go to Middlesbrough who are top as it stands at the minute,” he told RamsTV. “It’s three strong in-form teams in the league and they are teams that have short-term Premier League history.
“West Brom have come down with a lot of strong players so they have reasons why they are strong this year and both games will be challenges for us.”
The hosts boast a strike force who have netted 15 of their 31 league goals this season in Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez and the manager is wary of their threats.
“They have performed at the highest level,” said Lampard. “I’ve been in England squads with Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle will score goals, we all know that, and Harvey Barnes on-loan has been very impressive for them, Phillips has Premier League experience, so you go through the team and they have a lot of threats.
“That’s why they’ve won a lot of games because they have a good team and good manager. To win games, it’s sometimes the power you have in those front areas that can win games comfortably, so we must be aware of that.”
There will be a familiar face for Rams fans in the West Brom dugout as former Derby defender Moore took over the managerial reigns on a permanent basis in the summer.
He took temporary charge of the club in April 2018 and almost completed a memorable fightback to keep their Premier League status, but the task was just too much for the Baggies.
Moore enjoyed some positive results at the end last season, and that form has continued into the Sky Bet Championship as they look to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking.
“I’m very pleased for Darren,” Lampard admitted. “It was a great decision from West Brom to give him the job full time and he deserved it for the reaction he got at the end of last season.
“He’s got a nice bounce. They have started the season well, the players respect him having played there in recent years and I look forward to going up against him and his team.”
