Charlton roll into this Championship opener with a spring in their step after that 2-1 home win over Hull City in their most recent league outing at The Valley. That result shows they can grind out results in front of their own fans, and the London crowd will be buzzing for the new campaign. The Addicks have made some smart moves in the window, with Ivan Mesik and Milenic Alli pushing for their Championship debuts after impressing off the bench at Cheltenham last weekend. There's a freshness about this squad, a sense that they've recruited with purpose.

Derby, though, arrive with questions. John Eustace is building a Rams team for the next generation at Pride Park, but the recent 1-2 home defeat to Lincoln City in the EFL Cup is a worrying sign. That's a loss to a League One side, and it will have stung. The Rams have brought in Szmodics and Filip Bilbija from Paderborn to add creativity, but they've also waved goodbye to Joe Ward and Callum Elder, so there's a new-look feel to the side. Eustace will demand organisation and fight, but this is a team still finding its identity.

Momentum sits with the hosts. Charlton have that home win under their belts, a settled core, and the energy of a new season at The Valley. Derby are licking wounds from a cup upset and trying to integrate new faces. On paper, this is tight — the odds say so — but the recent vibes lean Charlton's way.