Derby County host Stoke City at Pride Park on Saturday (15:00) in a Championship fixture that could hardly carry more contrasting significance for the two clubs. The Rams are second bottom and desperately short of confidence; the Potters arrive battered by a late defeat but still in decent shape. Below are the numbers that frame the occasion.

Derby's home record against Stoke

For all the Rams' struggles this season, their historical record at Pride Park against Saturday's visitors makes for encouraging reading. Derby have not lost a home league game against Stoke in six attempts, winning three and drawing three since a 2-0 defeat back in February 2007. That run spans nearly two decades and multiple spells in different divisions for both clubs. Whether it carries any psychological weight in the current climate is another matter.

Stoke's away form and a historic benchmark

The Potters have won each of their past two away league matches and are chasing something they have not managed since December 2005: three consecutive away wins in the league. That 2005 run eventually stretched to four. Given that Stoke sit eighth in the Championship table and remain within striking distance of the top three, a third successive win on the road would announce them as genuine promotion contenders rather than a side simply making up the numbers.

Their recent sequence before Tuesday's defeat at home to Middlesbrough was exceptional. Stoke had taken 16 points from six matches, a haul that most sides in this division would accept without hesitation. A narrow 3-2 reverse, settled in the final moments at their own ground, is hardly cause for a rethink.

Derby's set-piece problem

The most stark number surrounding Derby right now is this: they remain the only side in the Championship yet to score from a set piece this season, including penalties. That is not merely unfortunate. It points to something structural, whether in the delivery, the movement, or the attacking options available to their coaching staff.

What makes that figure worse is the other side of the ledger. Only four clubs in the division have conceded more set-piece goals than Derby's five. They are, in effect, gifting opponents opportunities they cannot replicate at the other end. For a side that has been in a losing position for 50.3% of its Championship minutes this season, second only to Watford's 52.1%, that is a combination that is very difficult to escape.

Stoke's meagre return at Derby

Stoke's record at Pride Park in recent seasons offers little to comfort their travelling support. The Potters have scored just one league goal in their past six visits to Derby. That solitary effort came from Tom Ince in a 2-1 defeat in September 2021. If Stoke are to extend their away winning run, they will need to do something that has consistently eluded them at this ground.

What it means for both clubs

Derby went to QPR on Wednesday and were beaten 4-1, a result that followed draws and defeats in a run that has yielded only two points from six games. They are also winless at home in all competitions this season, drawing two and losing four of their six matches at Pride Park. The pressure on the manager and squad is considerable, even if the public line remains measured.

Stoke, by contrast, have the luxury of recovering from one bad result. Eighth place with form figures suggesting they belong higher up the table is a comfortable enough position from which to approach a trip to one of the division's most troubled sides. The statistics say Derby have the historical edge at home; the current form book says something rather different.

Kick-off at Pride Park is 15:00 on Saturday.

Frequently asked

When is Derby County vs Stoke City in the Championship?
The match kicks off at 15:00 on Saturday 18 October 2026 at Pride Park, Derby.
What is Derby County's recent form in the Championship?
Derby have taken just two points from their past six Championship matches and remain winless at home this season, drawing two and losing four of their six home games in all competitions.
How have Stoke City been performing in the Championship this season?
Stoke sit eighth in the Championship table and had collected 16 points from six matches before a narrow 3-2 home defeat to Middlesbrough. They have also won their last two away league games.