The race for promotion to the Premier League looks set to go down to the wire. While a spot in the top two of the Championship table looks beyond Nottingham Forest and Derby County, the local rivals will still harbour hopes of being in the play-off picture come May.
The pair clash at the City Ground on Monday in what promises to be a hotly contested meeting.
Forest sit six points off the play-off places, but Martin O'Neill's side have won three of their previous four games at home. 888Sport offer 29/20 (2.45) that they emerge victorious in this one too.
Frank Lampard's men know that a win over their bitter rivals will see the Rams climb back into sixth spot at the expense of Bristol City. That's a 19/10 (2.90) chance with the same online bookmaker who go 11/5 (3.20) about the draw.
As those odds suggest, there is little to choose between the teams and picking a winner with any degree of confidence is a tricky assignment.
Instead, opposing a high-scoring game looks to be the best selection for punters wishing to get involved in this all-East Midlands affair.
Derby rank fifth in defence this season with 37 goals conceded while Forest have leaked just 38 despite playing an extra game than the visitors.
Contrast that with their attacking rankings which see Monday's hosts in 10th and Derby a further two places back. Under 2.5 goals certainly appeals at 17/20 (1.85) with those numbers in mind. Not least when you consider them alongside the recent history of this fixture.
Only two of the last seven head-to-head meetings between the teams have seen three goals scored and the two most recent encounters both ended goalless. That's a 9/1 (10.0) chance here and could be worthy of a small stake, as is the draw at 11/5 (3.20) with the likelihood of another low-scoring, cagey clash.
The best bet though, looks to be the 17/20 (1.85) about no more than two goals being scored at the City Ground with 888Sport. That's an industry-best quote at the time of writing and can't be ignored given how these sides have performed this season, especially with a local derby angle factored in.
Under 2.5 goals at 17/20 (1.85) for a 2pt stake with 888Sport
888Sport