Craig Forsyth and Jerry Yates both scored at the start of the second half as Derby climbed out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone with a 2-0 victory over Preston at Pride Park.
After losing his opening three matches as manager, John Eustace has turned the Rams’ fortunes around and on Wednesday led them to a fourth straight victory to secure their longest winning run since July 2020.
Milutin Osmajic ought to have given Preston the lead with the very first attack of the game but Derby caught their opponents cold with a quick-fire double after a forgettable first half.
Two goals in four minutes courtesy of Forsyth’s opener and Yates’ eighth goal of the season dealt North End a sucker punch they could not recover from and took Derby above the dotted line for the first time since February.
Injury-hit Preston switched their attention back to the bread and butter and made five changes from their FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Aston Villa while Eustace opted for Ryan Nyambe over Kane Wilson with his only change.
Preston were gifted an opportunity to take the lead inside two minutes as Nyambe’s underhit back pass looped into the path of Osmajic but he aimed straight at Jacob Zetterstrom with a tame finish.
Preston shared more possession of the ball but neither side offered nothing by the way of quality in what was a lacklustre opening quarter to the game.
Derby were close to opening the scoring with their first real foray forward midway through the half as Wilson teased a ball into the area but Marcus Harness could only flash his header across the face of goal.
The visitors had an opportunity on the stroke of half-time when Callum Elder brought down Kaine Kesler-Hayden outside the box but the end product summed up a first period low on quality.
But it only took three minutes of the second half for the Rams to open the scoring.
Elder’s corner caused confusion inside the box but the ball fell kindly for Forsyth, who coolly dispatched into the far corner.
The hosts caught their opposition cold following the interval and doubled their advantage four minutes later through Yates’ first goal in eight games.
Elder once again provided the cross onto the head of Nat Phillips who nodded goalwards and Yates was waiting to divert it beyond David Cornell.
Preston went in search of an equaliser and thought they should have had a penalty when Phillips brought down Emil Riis inside the area.
However, referee Stephen Martin pointed for a corner which left Paul Heckingbottom with his hands on his head and a crucial three points handed to Derby in their fight for survival.
[(Shimizu S-Pulse) Weakness]: 1. Shimizu S-Pulse are 13th in the J1 League table. Facing 2nd-placed Kashima Antlers, they will find it hard to win this match due to their declining form, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Shimizu S-Pulse defender Yuji Takahashi and forward Sena Saito will miss this league game due to injuries.3. Shimizu S-Pulse were winless with 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 g...
Liverpool table fresh Guehi bidAccording to The Athletic, Liverpool have submitted a fresh bid worth £35 million ($47m) to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The Reds had earlier seen two bids rejected by the Eagles, but they remain hopeful that this time the offer will be accepted.Fenerbahce eyeing move for EdersonTurkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Manc...
Roma medical for Liverpool fullback TsimikasAS Roma are holding a medical for Kostas Tsimikas today.The Liverpool fullback is leaving Anfield after finding himself third-choice this season behind fellow left-backs Andrew Robertson and Milos Kerkez.La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Greece international is expected in Italy today to finalise his move.Tsimikas will undergo a medical ahead of signing a...
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-FULHAMMarco Silva has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after lambasting three "shocking" refereeing decisions in Fulham's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.WHAT HAPPENED?The Whites thought they had taken the lead against their west London rivals Chelsea when 18-year-old Josh King coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez. However, the goal was chalked off by referee Rob...
[(Shonan Bellmare) Strength]: 1. Shonan Bellmare are one of the bottom teams in the table, taking 25 points and being in the relegation zone. They are strongly motivated to grab points.[(Shonan Bellmare) Neutral]: 1. Shonan Bellmare drew the last 4 home games, revealing mediocre home performances.[(Shonan Bellmare) Weakness]: 1. Shonan Bellmare lost 1-0 to Fagiano Okayama on the road in the last g...
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League Final 2025Chelsea have completed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.WHAT HAPPENED?Garnacho has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal worth a fixed £40 million fee ($54m) with a 10 per cent sell-on clause, Goal understands. The 21-year-old ha...
Marc Guehi Crystal Palace 2025-26Liverpool have launched a fresh bid for Marc Guehi as they hope that Crystal Palace will finally accept their proposal and agree to sell their star defender before the summer transfer window closes on Monday. The Reds have been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer and the champions are determined to secure his signature.WHAT HAPPEN...
West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season FriendlyAston Villa are close to signing West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on an initial loan with an obligation to buy next summer.WHAT HAPPENED?Villa are on the brink of agreeing a £47 million (€54m/$63m) package for Paqueta which includes a loan fee and add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The report also states the 28-year-old has ac...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus currently have only 28 points and are near the bottom of the league table. To avoid relegation, they need to earn points.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya Grampus' 7 successive games ended with OVER.[(Nagoya Grampus) Weakness]: 1. Nagoya Grampus lost 2-4 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their last Emperor's Cup game, with poor performance.2. In the lates...
Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2025Premier League champions Liverpool have confirmed that star attacker Cody Gakpo has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, which has extended his stay at Anfield beyond 2028. The Dutchman who joined the club in January 2023, during the Jurgen Klopp era, has established himself as a regular starter under new boss Arne Slot and has now committed his future to the Reds...
