Almost half of the Championship matches this season have been draws, and the two teams that have been held in every league match so far meet at the iPro Stadium in Saturday's lunchtime kickoff.

Both Derby County and Leeds United will be after their first maximum of the season in the final round of fixtures before the first international break of the campaign.

Derby

Promotion favourites at the start of the season after a summer of big spending, Derby are already six points off the pace following their underwhelming start to the campaign.

If you include last season's winless end to the season, the Rams are now without a league win in seven attempts, drawing six and losing one.

They have fallen behind and fought back to draw the last three games 1-1 after going out of the Capital One Cup to League Two Portsmouth, and Johnny Russell has been their saviour in the last two against Middlesbrough and Birmingham City.

It is the first time since December that the Scot has scored in back-to-back league games; he has never netted in three successive league games for the Rams.

In his first managerial job, former Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement hasn't been helped by key injuries in midfield and reports suggest that he is chasing a new signing to cover for the loss of Will Hughes (ruptured ACL), with Adam Forshaw, Jacob Butterfield and Alex Pritchard linked with moves to the iPro Stadium.

If Derby are to push towards the top six as expected, they will have to sort out their home form - they have won just one of their last eight in the league and that was against doomed Blackpool towards the end of last season.

Recent form: DLDDD

Leeds

Like Derby, Leeds have had a free midweek as they went out of the League Cup at the first hurdle.

The Whites are unbeaten in six Championship games, but have drawn their last five league games in a row including the goalless stalemate with Rotherham United on the final day of last season. That equals a joint-club record also set in 1962 and 1997.

Last time out at home to Sheffield Wednesday, Uwe Rosler's men fell behind to a volley out of nowhere from Marco Matias before Chris Wood stabbed home to earn a point against their Yorkshire rivals.

Like Russell, Wood, a £3m summer signing from Leicester City, has scored in consecutive games, ending a run of 19 competitive games without a goal.

Deadline day is five days away and Rosler has been keen on signing two or three new players before the window shuts.

Leicester City defender Liam Moore is a target, while a move for Watford's Fernando Forestieri is thought to be in the balance.

Recent form: DLLLD

Team News

The midfield trio of Jeff Hendrick, Jamie Hanson and Craig Bryson are not expected to be ready in time to play, so Chris Baird could continue in the centre of midfield next to George Thorne.

Andreas Weimann and Ryan Shotton came off the bench against Birmingham and will be hoping to be included in the starting lineup.

Leeds, meanwhile, are able to welcome back Lewis Cook after his three-game ban, and the young midfielder is expected to earn a recall at the expense of fellow academy product Kalvin Phillips.

Alex Mowatt has dropped to the bench for the last two, but he could return here if Rosler ditches Mirco Antenucci in favour of a more midfield-heavy formation, with Wood continuing to lead the line after his goals against Bristol City and Wednesday.

Derby possible starting lineup:
Carson; Christie, Keogh, Shackell, Forsyth; Baird, Thorne; Russell, Ince, Weimann; Martin

Leeds possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Berardi, Cooper, Bamba, Taylor; Adeyemi, Cook, Mowatt; Byram, Dallas; Wood

Head To Head

Both games last season finished as 2-0 wins for the home side, with Antenucci scoring both of Leeds's goals in their 2-0 win over Derby at Elland Road last season.

That was Leeds's only victory in their last 13 league games against the Rams (D2 L10) and their record at the iPro Stadium is poor.

Derby have won each of their last six league games at home to Leeds and are unbeaten in their last eight against them in DE24.

Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

We say: Derby 2-0 Leeds

Surely it can't be a fifth straight draw for these two - something has got to give. Derby are at home and should have enough to get past Leeds given their recent home record against the Whites.