Sky Sports pundit issues Derby County v Leyton Orient score prediction | OneFootball

Highlights

Derby County may have started the 2023-24 League One season in indifferent form, but they have been more-than showing their true potential in recent weeks.

And after four victories in succession, which has pushed the Rams into the play-off spots in the third tier of English football, they make the trip to London this weekend to take on Richie Wellens' Leyton Orient side who are marooned in mid-table in 16th position before the latest installment of fixtures.

Sky Sports pundit predicts Derby v Leyton Orient score

Prominent Sky Sports commentator and pundit Don Goodman, a former Football League striker in his time for the likes of West Brom and Wolves, believes that County's good run is set to continue this weekend.

Not only will Paul Warne's side keep another clean sheet in his eyes, but they will pick up yet another three points on home soil.

"I would expect Derby to win," Goodman said.

"They have played nine games away from home and won five. Derby have won more games away than Leyton Orient have won at home.

"Derby County 2-0 Leyton Orient."

Derby County's season so far

Before a ball had even been kicked in the third tier of English football, the Rams were being touted as potential automatic promotion contenders after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last season.

Combining Paul Warne's experience of promotion from the level with the new signings that had arrived at Pride Park was clearly a recipe for success for many, but County did not start the 2023-24 campaign like a side who were one of the favourites for the top two.

Defeats at home to Wigan Athletic and Oxford United as well as a loss away at Bolton Wanderers put Derby in the middle reaches of League One in the opening six matches, but their form has picked up somewhat since then.

There were perhaps a few too many draws that followed the Bolton defeat, with three splitting of the points from their next five matches, but away wins over Carlisle United and Blackpool also were in that mix, and since a home win over Exeter was sandwiched in-between away defeats against Shrewsbury Town and Stevenage, Warne's side haven't looked back.

In league action, Derby won three home matches in succession against Northampton, Barnsley and Bristol Rovers, scoring 10 goals and conceding just the once, and last time out they battled hard to earn three points at Vale Park against Port Vale, with the only goal of the game coming from Arsenal loanee Tyreece John-Jules.

Depending on how other fixtures go this weekend, Derby could be sitting in third spot in League One by the end of the weekend, but they would first have to be on the winning side of a result at Brisbane Road.