How do Derby County's remaining fixtures compare to Peterborough, Wycombe and Portsmouth? | OneFootball

It promises to be a nervy end to the season for Derby County, as Paul Warne’s side have lost form at just the wrong time.

A defeat to Ipswich Town last time out made it four losses in five games for the Rams, which has seen them drop out of the play-off places on goal difference.

With seven games to go this season, Warne will feel confident that his side can rediscover their highest level, and he will feel promotion is still very much a possibility. However, they have a battle to just reach the play-offs, with some huge fixtures coming up.

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And, here we look at how Derby’s schedule compares to their nearest rivals…

Derby

Forest Green (A), MK Dons (H), Bristol Rovers (A), Exeter (A), Burton (H), Portsmouth (H), Sheffield Wednesday (A)

Firstly, with three home games and four away, it’s not the ideal way you’d want it, but it’s the same story for the other three teams, so there’s no advantage or disadvantage in this scenario.

The positives are that they have five games against sides who are outside the top ten, and the one game against their close rivals is against Portsmouth at Pride Park. So, there could be a lot riding on that game, and having it on their own patch could be pivotal.

The obvious worry is that they’re finishing up at Hillsborough, where Wednesday could be pushing for promotion. So, they will want everything sorted by the final day if possible.

Peterborough

Shrewsbury (A), Exeter (H), Cambridge (A), Accrington (A), Ipswich (H), Bristol Rovers (H), Barnsley (A)

Peterborough are on the same points as Derby, so they are the closest rivals at the moment, and pleasingly for the Rams, it appears they have a harder fixture list.

Once again, they have just three home games, with one against an Ipswich side which are the form team in the division right now. Unlike Derby, who play a lot of sides battling relegation, Darren Ferguson’s side face many in mid-table, who may have less to play for.

The final day trip to Barnsley is another potentially daunting one, but they may be in a position where they rest players for the play-offs by that stage.

Wycombe are two points behind the play-off places, so they obviously need to have a strong end to the campaign, and it does look difficult going on these fixtures,

They face a difficult trip to Portman Road on Friday, which could leave them facing a bigger gap by the time they host bottom of the table Forest Green.

It’s certainly not a terrible fixture list, and they could set up a thrilling final day if Portsmouth are still in the mix for the play-offs as well, which is another tough away game for the Chairboys.

Portsmouth

MK Dons (A), Morecambe (H), Shrewsbury (A), Oxford (A), Accrington (H), Derby (A), Wycombe (H)

Finally, Pompey have a three-point deficit to make up, but they will feel they can go on a winning

streak over the coming weeks, as the next five games are appealing enough on paper, even if they are playing sides who will fight for results.

Again, it’s the final games of the campaign that jump out. The Derby and Wycombe games have the potential to be huge, and there’s every chance Portsmouth’s season could come down to those 180 minutes.