TEAM NEWS: Stoke City Vs Derby County

Derby County’s starting line-up for their first game of the 2025/26 season has been confirmed.

Rams Head Coach John Eustace has selected his first XI of the new campaign for the clash with Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

Carlton Morris and Danny Batth will make their competitive debuts for Derby in the Potteries, with the latter returning to Stoke, where he played between 2018 and 2022.

This week's transfer additions, Dion Sanderson and Bobby Clark, will begin on the bench. Fellow summer signings Andi Weimann and David Ozoh are also part of the matchday squad.

Ebou Adams will lead the Rams out of the tunnel as captain for the curtain-raising match, while Jacob Widell Zetterström will be between the sticks.

The Teams

Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Forsyth, Batth, Clarke, Morris, Blackett-Taylor, L. Thompson, Goudmijn, Jackson, Nyambe, Adams (C).

Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Osborn, Weimann, Ozoh, Elder, Rooney, Sanderson, Clark, Brown.

Stoke City: Johansson (GK), Cresswell, Pearson, Thomas, Baker, Mubama, Jun-ho, Wilmot (C), Lawal, Tchamadeu, Manhoef.

Substitutes: Bonham (GK), Bozenik, Seko, Donley, Bocat, Gibson, Phillips, Fawumni, Mears.