MX23RW : Monday, December 30 22:48:04| >> :120:29549:29549:
[monks data]
Cardiff City logo
Championship
Feb 28, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Wolves logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)
Sako (26')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship meeting between Cardiff City and playoff-chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to keep in touch with the Championship playoff places when they travel to South Wales to take on Cardiff City on Saturday.

Kenny Jackett's side are currently on the outside looking in, with only two points separating third place from seventh-placed Brentford and Wolves sitting a further four behind the Bees in eighth.

However, the Midlands outfit appear to be hitting their stride at an important time of the season having won their last two games in style, scoring eight goals and conceding none in the process.

A 5-0 rout of Rotherham United last weekend was followed up by a comfortable victory over Fulham on Tuesday in which Wolves got the job done in the first half.

Bakary Sako was instrumental in both games, with three goals and two assists signifying a timely return to form for the in-demand striker.

Benik Afobe and Nouha Dicko have also contributed to the recent upturn in form, and that front trio is expected to start up top once again despite Sako suffering from a stomach bug this week.

Scott Golbourne is the only doubt for the match as the hosts continue to monitor his foot troubles, but he is expected to be fit and Jackett could name an unchanged side.

Wolves will be looking to return to winning ways on the road having seen a six-match unbeaten away streak come to an end against Norwich City earlier this month, but they come up against a Cardiff side who have made themselves difficult to beat recently.

Tuesday's narrow 1-0 victory over former manager Malky Mackay's Wigan Athletic was their first win in nine matches, but a run of four draws before that means that they are now unbeaten in five.

All of those games have been tight affairs, and only league leaders Derby County have beaten Cardiff by more than one goal in the Bluebirds' 11 outings so far this calendar year.

Russell Slade's side have conceded just two goals in their five-game unbeaten streak, but have also only managed to score three in their last six games.

Their victory over Wigan came at the DW Stadium, and Slade will be keen to rediscover winning ways at home too having seen his side fail to pick up a victory in their last four matches in front of their own fans, scoring only two goals in that time.

Alex Revell is pushing for a start in an attempt to improve that record, but Slade could once again stick with a front two of Kenwyne Jones and Eoin Doyle.

Joe Ralls was forced to fill in at left-back in midweek with both Scott Malone and Lee Peltier sidelined, and the latter is rated as 50-50 to return to the starting lineup this weekend.

Cardiff:

Recent form: LDDDDW

Possible starting lineup: Marshall; Connolly, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Peltier; Kennedy, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Noone; Doyle, Jones

Wolves:

Recent form: DLWLWW

Possible starting lineup: Kuszczak; Iorfa, Batth, Stearman, Golbourne; McDonald, Price, Afobe, Edwards, Sako; Dicko

Sports Mole says: 1-2


ID:207877: cacheID:207877:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6177:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Wigan Athletic Manager Malky Mackay gestures during the Sky Bet Championship match between Wigan Athletic and Middlesbrough at DW Stadium on November 22, 2014
Read Next:
Team News: Two debuts for Wigan against Cardiff
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
3Arsenal18106235161936
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford187383232024
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!