TWO of England's best-ever midfielders are trying to make their names as managers.
Steven Gerrard has already caused a stir at Rangers and Frank Lampard is turning head at Derby.
Gerrard's job comes with massive pressure but expectations at County are also huge and Lamps is winning fans over after a slow start.
His side have edged into the top six after successive Championship wins and a 4-0 thrashing of Hull in the EFL Cup made it three in row.
That victory was confidently tipped by Rams fans Nathan and he doubled them up with Derby's return to the KC today.
Both sides made changes for that tie but it's clear Derby have more in reserve and will be out to repeat the result today against the side that knocked them out in last season's play-off semi-finals.
Interestingly Derby won the second leg 2-0 at the KC and have only lost once there in 2013.
I'm on Lampard's side today at 17-10 with McBookie and if you have any doubts consider Derby draw no bet at 10-11 with Marathonbet.
As far as the Premier League goes my antepost picks are already looking good. I tipped Man City to win the title, Man City/Liverpool straight forecast and Liverpool to finish second. I also backed Spurs for top four.
Liverpool are one of four teams with a 100 per cent along with Spurs, Chelsea and Watford but City still look the ones to beat despite being held at Wolves last weekend.
Pep Guardiola's side face an ordinary Newcastle who played for a 0-0 at home to Chelsea last week but conceded a late own goal to crash 2-1.
If you play for a point at home you need to get and fans and former players lined up to slate boss Rafael Benitez's tactics.
Newcastle have picked one point out of nine and face a heavy defeat at the Etihad where they have lost 3-1, 6-1, 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 in the past five seasons.
That's an average of more than four goals conceded and City are only 13-8 at Paddy Power to score 4+ today.
It's still backable with 3+ team goals returning 8-13 at BetStars and City no bigger than 1-8 to win.
Alternative bets are City -1 or -2 with the latter paying 19-20 at Ladbrokes and -3 is 5-2 with Paddy Power.
Sergio Aguero looks a good shout for first goal at 9-4 with Sky Bet and is just 7-4 with Betway to hit two or more at 7-4 with betfair.
Liverpool face a decent test at Leicester where they won last season after three defeats in a row at the King Power.
Three of the last four meetings have gone over 3.5 goals and this could be another at 7-4 with betfair while both to score should land at 10-11 with Betfred.
Elsewhere I like Everton at 8-15 with Ladbrokes at home to Huddersfield and Wolves have a chance at 19-10 with McBookie at West Ham.
In the lower leagues best bet could be Peterborough, another of my anteposts, at 6-5 with Ladbrokes at home to Doncaster.
Steve Evans's side have started with five straight wins and 15 goals scored with Jason Cummings netting five in his last three. He's taking penalties and is 5-1 at Betway to score first.
Sunderland, under Jack Ross, trail Peterborough by two points and should keep pace by seeing off Oxford at home. They are 8-15 at McBookie to make it three home wins on the spin.
Recommended Bets
- Derby
- Brentford v Nottm Forest btts
- Man City -2
- Aguero to score 2+
- Leicester v Liverpool btts
- Everton
- Peterborough
- Cummings to score first
- Sunderland
In December 2020 we sadly 
Hull have not scored against Derby in any of the last 4 ties at Hull, a 0-0 was the league result at Hull last season. Derby got knocked out of the playoff semi’s last year by Fulham. It was the season before if memory serves me right. We’ve won twice in the league and once in last weeks league cup, all to nil. The kicker about the 2016/17 playoff semi’s was that Derby did the league double on them prior to them slapping us down 3 nil in pt 1 of that playoff.
I saw 10/3 with 188bet last night for a Derby win to nil. That jumps out at me.
Lampard said after the league cup tie that Saturdays game would be a different match. Derby did have the ball in the net for a 5th time but was ruled offside. I think I’ve counted 4 matches from 5 that a goal has been chalked off for some reason.
We’ve now played 7 games and a few weeks in, Lampard did say it would take 10 games for the team to bed-in. Late September/October is usually when Derby hit their customary ” Purple ” patch. With the international interruption to domestic footie looming, Derby will want to keep the momentum going into the break. With Leeds and Middlesbrough drawing 0-0, it is a fab time for the Rams to close in on that top 2 and be in amongst it.
I’ve made no secret of my 4-3-3 issue with Derby – square pegs in round holes, but Tuesdays game saw a switch back to the 4-2-3-1. The team was much more settled, we started very strongly in that first half and kept on that pressure until the final whistle. I know Hull fielded 4 academy players in that last game and their personnel on tomorrows game will see at least 4 regulars return to the squad, but Derby have a bit of a selection Dilemma. Most of our squad – 7 changes including a rare start for our number 2 keeper ( only had 1 worthwhile save to make all match ) means the bulk of the Derby squad is already picked.
I think we’ll go back to Scott Carson between the sticks, the back 4 should be the same as the last match, I can see the 2 holding midfielders the same, Mount in the middle of the 3 and Jozefzoon on the right, leaves just a switchout for the point-man and out on the left a return for Lawrence. I cannot see any point in Derby making any more than 3 changes to the squad that played on Tuesday.
Great tips. On most of them including a 261-1 , 2$ bet. Like the look at goals at my old home town Swindon v Milton Keynes. Put Peterhead in as well.
One in-play is Perth Sc. V neighbours Glory.. On the home team. Quite a few people in this in my local.