Preview: Derby County vs. Torquay United - prediction, team news, lineups

Torquay were two goals behind to Derby in Devon last time out, but they managed to halve the deficit in the 56th minute before Will Goodwin came up with a 95th-minute leveller to force a replay.

Match preview

Derby, who were relegated from the Championship last season, currently sit sixth in League One, boasting 28 points from their opening 17 matches, and they will be expecting to be promoted back to the second tier for the 2023-24 campaign.

The Rams came close to advancing in the EFL Cup last week, only losing on penalties to Liverpool at Anfield following a goalless draw, while they will enter this match off the back off a strong result in League One, running out 3-1 winners away to MK Dons.

Paul Warne's side have a huge game away to Portsmouth in the Championship next Friday, but they will also view this as an important match, with the club looking to avoid what would be a surprise elimination in the first round of the competition.

Derby famously won the FA Cup back in 1946, overcoming Charlton Athletic in the final, while they have reached the final on a further three occasions - 1897-98, 1898-99, 1902-03.

Torquay looked down and out when Will Osula made it 2-0 to Derby in the 47th minute of their contest last week, but Asa Hall managed to level the scores from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, before Goodwin came up with leveller in the fifth minute of added time at the end of the 90.

The Gulls overcame Hampton & Richmond following a replay to reach the first round of this season's competition, and they will certainly be up against it away to their League One opponents on Tuesday.

Torquay have been a National League side since earning promotion from the National League South in 2018-19, and they have not been present in the Football League since 2013-14.

Gary Johnson's side have struggled in the National League this term, only picking up 14 points from their opening 19 matches, which has left them down in 23rd in the table.

The visitors will also enter this match off the back of a heavy defeat, having gone down 5-1 at home to Chesterfield in the National League on Saturday afternoon.

Derby County FA Cup form:

D

Derby County form (all competitions):

D

W

D

D

D

W

Torquay United FA Cup form:

D

Torquay United form (all competitions):

L

L

W

D

D

L

Team News

Derby's starting side is expected to be similar to the one that took to the field for the first whistle against MK Dons in the league on Saturday afternoon.

There are likely to be a couple of changes, though, with Richard Stearman in line for a spot at the back, while Osula should also start following his brace in the reverse fixture.

David McGoldrick is also an option in the final third of the field, while 20-year-old Liam Thompson will be hoping to earn some minutes at some stage of the contest.

As for Torquay, head coach Johnson is expected to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes from the side that started the heavy home loss to Chesterfield.

The Gulls do not have the strength in depth to change six or seven without drastically reducing the quality, so the likes of Goodwin and Aaron Jarvis are again set to start.

The visitors did not pick up any fresh injury concerns from their league match on Saturday, with the three substitutions that were made all tactical decisions.

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Wildsmith; Smith, Stearman, Forsyth, Roberts; Mendez-Laing, Hourihane, Bird, Dobbin; Osula, Collins

Torquay United possible starting lineup:

Halstead; Donnellan, Ness, Ellis, Moxey; De Silva, Lapslie, Hall, Wearne; Goodwin, Jarvis

We say: Derby County 2-0 Torquay United

Torquay impressed when the two sides locked horns last time out, but we are finding it really difficult to predict a shock result in this match. Derby will be determined to avoid another uncomfortable affair, and we are expecting this to be a relatively straightforward contest for the League One side.

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