Preview | Swansea City v Derby County
Swansea City will look to begin their reign under new head coach Vitor Matos with three points as they welcome Derby County to the Swansea.com Stadium this evening (7.45pm).
The 37-year-old arrived from Marítimo on Monday, on a contract through to the summer of 2029 and will be the man in charge in the dugout under the lights.
Matos' Swans will be looking to bounce back from a difficult two weeks having lost their last three games against Preston North End, Ipswich Town and Bristol City respectively.
Derby County, meanwhile, remain in impressive form having won five of their last six, earning a total of 15 points. They currently sit 12th in the Championship table.
Last time out, their unbeaten run came to an end as they fell to a 3-2 defeat against Watford at Pride Park.
Pre-match views
Vitor Matos: “For us we know it is clear we need to fight for wins and to fight for points.
“We have to show a hunger and a desire and we have to produce a way of playing that makes us all feel connections together.
“We want to be an aggressive team with and without the ball, and we want to have a clear identity.”
John Eustace: "It will be a difficult game on Tuesday at Swansea, I am sure they will all have a point to prove. It will be a tough ask, but it is a game we will be ready for.
"For us we have to look after ourselves and prepare in the same way. That is what we will always do, worry about ourselves.”
Team news
Josh Tymon and Ben Cabango will be back in contention to return to the Swansea squad following suspension on the weekend.
Meet the officials
Andrew Kitchen will be the man in the middle when Swansea City host Derby County at the Swansea.com Stadium this evening (7.45pm).
Kitchen joined the EFL as a match official at the start of the 2021/22 season. The Durham-born official spent two years on the National League prior to his promotion to the Select Group Two list of officials.
He made his EFL Championship debut in September 2023, a 1-1 draw between Queens Park Rangers and Swansea City at Loftus Road. This will be Kitchen's fourth time officiating a Swans fixture.
He will be joined by Conor Brown and Hristo Karaivanov. Stephen Martin will be the fourth official.
Remember the last time?
Swansea City 1 Derby County 0 - April 5, 2025
Substitute Jisung Eom struck a late winner as Swansea City ground out victory over Derby County at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The South Korea international snuck in at the far post to meet an inswinging cross with 11 minutes to play, settling a contest that was often a tense, cagey affair.
There was no doubting the effort levels on display in a game between two sides who knew a win would move them considerably closer to securing Championship status for next term, but a lack of patience and composure in the final third ensured there was little in the way of clear-cut chances.
Prime numbers
3 - Swansea have won each of their last three league games against Derby, as many as in their previous 17 against the Rams (D7 L7).
1 - Derby have won just one of their last eight away league games against Swansea (D3 L4), losing the last three in a row since a 3-2 triumph in February 2020.