DERBY COUNTY find themselves in League One but this FA Cup clash with West Ham United will bring back memories of days when they were slugging it out with teams from the top flight every week.
The Rams haven't been in the Premier League since 2008 and now find themselves battling to escape the third tier after a financial implosion led to relegation from the Championship last term.
Paul Warne had a few teething troubles after taking charge back in September but he has Derby flying now, with the only defeat in their last 19 games coming on penalties against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.
The Rams have racked up six wins in a row, including a 3-0 battering of Barnsley in the last round of the FA Cup, so this fourth-round tie is a potential banana skin for West Ham.
But David Moyes' side head to Pride Park buoyed by a massive 2-0 win last time out against Everton, a victory that lifted them out of the Premier League drop zone.
It's now just one defeat in four games for the Hammers and after grinding out a 1-0 win at Brentford in the third round, Moyes will be confident his players can take another step on the road to Wembley.
How the bookies view it
Despite their fine form, Derby County are outsiders at 7/2 with Unibet who price a West Ham United win at just 41/50. The full-time draw pays a best 20/7 with VBet.
Recent head to head
These sides haven't faced off since West Ham were in the Championship back in season 2011/12. It was honours even in that campaign, with a 3-1 win for the Hammers in London followed by a 2-1 Derby win at Pride Park. West Ham dominated this fixture before that, though, losing just once in 15 games against the Rams.
Players to watch
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing heads into this clash with his confidence high after scoring in the last two games for Derby. The former Cardiff winger is 6/1 at William Hill for anytime scorer which looks a bit overpriced.
Jarrod Bowen ended a 12-game drought last weekend as his double sealed that massive win over Everton. The forward will be looking to go on a scoring run now and is 11/5 at Unibet for anytime scorer.
Anything else catch the eye?
Goals have been flying in of late with Derby, with over 2.5 strikes landing in their last five matches. BTTS has also come up in the last three so I fancy it here at 10/11 with Bet365 while over 2.5 goals is the same price with the same firm.
I got my fingers burned when backing Liverpool to ease past Derby in the League Cup and the Rams could also be a tough nut to crack for West Ham. That makes the half-time draw another decent option at 6/5 with Unibet.
I'd expect the Premier League side to have most of the pressure and that makes the 5/4 on offer at Unibet for Derby to have most cards pretty appealing.
This FA Cup match between Derby County and West Ham United will be played on Jan 30, 2023 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Derby County vs West Ham United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
