Derby come into this one with a point to prove after that 1-2 EFL Cup slip against Lincoln City at Pride Park. A cup exit to lower-league opposition stings, but it also sharpens the focus for the league campaign. The Rams looked solid in their recent Championship opener at Charlton, where they ground out a draw in a tight, even contest — exactly the kind of scrappy, low-scoring affair that defines this division. Pride Park will be rocking, and Derby will want to wash the taste of that cup defeat out of their mouths with a statement performance in front of their own fans.

Cardiff, meanwhile, are a side in flux. Brian Barry-Murphy has them trying to play controlled possession football — a brave approach after coming up from League One, but one that has looked shaky in the early going. They were held to a draw by Wrexham in the Welsh derby, a game that exposed their lack of squad depth and injury concerns. The BBC snippet is blunt: unless they bring in midfielders and attackers, any major injury leaves them exposed. That reads like a team that could fade late in games, especially away from home against a physical, organised Derby side. Momentum is with the hosts here.