Derby County lineup confirmed for Bristol City clash

Derby County's starting lineup for their Friday night clash with Bristol City has been confirmed, with one change from the Coventry match.

Derby County faces Bristol City in Friday night Championship clash

Derby County will line up for the 8pm kickoff against Bristol City with one change from the Coventry City match. Andi Weimann is handed his first league start of the season, while Matt Clarke is set to reach 100 Derby appearances. Ebou Adams wears the captaincy, and Carlton Morris leads the attack after scoring twice in two league matches. The starting XI is Zetterström in goal, Batth, Clarke, Morris, Weimann, L Thompson, Ozoh, Elder, Nyambe, Sanderson, Adams (C). Substitutes: Vickers, Osborn, Brewster, Goudmijn, Jackson, Rooney, Ward, Clark.

Bristol City lines up with Vitek in goal and Knight as captain among the starting XI. The XI is Vitek, McCrorie, Randall, Atkinson, Twine, Mehmeti, Knight (C), Vyner, Dickie, Sykes, Riis. Substitutes: Lumley, Bird, Hirakawa, Mayulu, Tanner, Bell, Roberts, Cornick, Armstrong.

The Derby lineup shows a deliberate shift toward pace and experience up front, with Weimann recalled to start and Adams trusted with the armband. Clarke’s potential 100th appearance adds a seasoned spine behind Morris, who has begun the campaign in goal-scoring form. This is a fixture built for momentum, not a one-off reshuffle, suggesting manager John Eustace is balancing short-term results with longer-term squad management.

Bristol City arrives with a captain-led approach and a straightforward, no-frills XI. Knight wearing the armband signals a stable leadership core, while the defense around Vyner and Dickie looks to blunt Derby’s early attacking moves. Friday night atmospheres can tilt tight games, so Derby will need to translate possession into clear chances and finish.)

Highlights

This game could set the tone for Derby’s week if they can convert the chances their pace creates.