Preview: Swansea City vs. Derby County - prediction, team news, lineups

Derby County head to promotion hopefuls Swansea City on Saturday afternoon with their Championship survival hopes now in their own hands.

The Rams can confirm their second-tier status with victories in their remaining two games, while Swansea are already guaranteed a playoff spot.

Match preview

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Wayne Rooney's side enter this penultimate game of the season on a five-match losing run, most recently going down 2-1 to Midlands rivals Birmingham City.

Going further back, it is one win in 13 matches for County - a terrible run that had them as odds-on favourites for relegation up until Tuesday night.

That was until Rotherham United, who have had games in hand to play on the sides above them, lost 1-0 at Brentford - their fifth straight defeat, four of those without scoring.

Rotherham now have just one more game in hand to play on Derby - away at Luton Town next Tuesday - and they have a four-point deficit to make up on the Rams.

Effectively, then, Rooney's men will be certain of survival if they beat Swansea at the Liberty Stadium and fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park next week.

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That is easier said than done given their current form, of course, although they did beat the Swans 2-0 in December's reverse fixture.

The Rams could therefore achieve a league double over the Welsh side for the first time since 1985-86, and just the second time ever.

City are not exactly in the greatest form, either, having won just two of their last nine matches.

That includes a run of a couple of 2-2 draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Reading, either side of losing at home to Queens Park Rangers in their last match at the Liberty Stadium.

In fact, Steve Cooper's charges have picked up just eight points in their last nine league games, compared to 19 in their previous nine in the Championship.

Swansea have ultimately done enough to book a playoff spot with time to spare, though, and they are now jostling for position with Brentford, Bournemouth and Barnsley.

Team News

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Cooper will have one eye on the upcoming playoffs, but there is still a few weeks until the semi-finals so there is no need to rest players for this match.

Andre Ayew scored as a second-half substitute in the 2-2 draw with Reading last time out and is expected to return to the starting lineup here.

Connor Roberts is also in contention for a recall at the back, while Korey Smith will hope to be given some minutes.

As for the visitors, they are having to contend with a whole host of injury issues, with defensive trio Curtis Davies, Andre Wisdom and Teden Mengi among their absentees.

Rooney opted for Martyn Waghorn alongside Colin Kazim-Richards up top against Birmingham, but that loss could usher the return of Graeme Shinnie in midfield as part of a reshuffle.

Wales international Tom Lawrence has two goals in his last five appearances and will almost certainly start at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Roberts, Guehi, Cabango, Bidwell; Hourihane, Grimes, Fulton; Ayew, Cullen, Lowe

Derby County possible starting lineup:
Marshall; Clarke, Edmundson, Forsyth; Byrne, Bird, Shinnie, Buchanan; Knight; Lawrence, Kazim-Richards

We say: Swansea City 1-0 Derby County

Swansea have struggled for momentum in recent weeks and are winless in four league home league matches, losing three of those.

Derby have collected just one point from the last 24 on offer on their travels, however, and it is difficult to see them picking up the win they need this weekend.