Both having lost their last two Championship games, Cardiff City and Hull City meet in the Welsh capital on Saturday afternoon.

While Cardiff have now taken just two points from their last five matches, their visitors are still in mid-table following a fast start to the season.

Match preview

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Two wins in their first three outings of the 2022-23 Championship campaign may have got Cardiff City up and running, but their form since will be a cause for concern among the club's passionate fanbase.

Steve Morison's side have now failed to take maximum points from any of their following five fixtures, after conceding twice in the final half-hour of last weekend's game at Millwall.

Though they had kept their hosts goalless at The Den until the 63rd minute, Cardiff were beaten 2-0: their second successive loss after going in all-square at half time.

While the Bluebirds' defensive record does not read too badly, a much-discussed lack of firepower is still costing them at the other end - to date, they have recorded the fewest shots on target in the Championship (20).

Only four goals in all, from nine league and cup games, tells the tale of a team now languishing in the relegation zone, and having committed to a significant overhaul of their squad in the summer, the Cardiff board will expect Morison to turn things around soon.

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Like Saturday's hosts, Hull have invested in a number of new signings, and they too started off their Championship campaign on the right note, having struggled to a 19th-placed finish last term.

The new-look Tigers made an impressive start under new manager Shota Arveladze, taking seven points from a possible nine during the opening fortnight.

Despite suffering a 5-2 thumping at West Bromwich Albion late last month, things were progressing nicely for the East Yorkshire outfit until events in the past week, which have seen them lose twice in quick succession; conceding five times in the process.

After his hat-trick in the win over Coventry City, top scorer Oscar Estupinan has drawn a blank in both of his subsequent appearances, with Hull being beaten 3-1 by QPR and then losing their 100% home record in a 2-0 defeat to leaders Sheffield United.

Shota Arveladze's side have therefore slipped to 12th in the table, and a winless run of six league matches on the road must end soon if they are to keep pace in the long-distance race for the Championship playoffs.

Team News

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Cardiff's woes up front have continued despite signing two forwards in recent weeks, with Kion Etete and Callum Robinson both joining the club: the former has been sidelined by injury and the latter only made his debut against Millwall last Saturday.

Having started on the bench at The Den, the Republic of Ireland forward could now support Max Watters, who has struggled as a lone striker so far this season.

Robinson's international teammate Callum O'Dowda could be absent again for the hosts, denying them a valuable source of creativity out wide, so Sheyi Ojo and Aston Villa loanee Jaden Philogene-Bidace will hope to keep their respective places.

Meanwhile, Hull City striker Benjamin Tetteh will miss his side's trip to Wales after being withdrawn from last week's loss to Sheffield United with a hamstring injury.

Set to be sidelined until next month, Tetteh is expected to be Shota Arveladze's only new injury concern, while Jean-Michael Seri and Ozan Tufan returned to the fold last week, and recent arrivals Dimitrios Pelkas and Harvey Vale could now feature too.

Dogukan Sinik, Adama Traore and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh are among those still ruled out for the visitors.

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, Nkounkou; Sawyers, Ralls, Wintle; Ojo, Watters, Robinson

Hull City possible starting lineup:
Ingram; Christie, Figueiredo, Greaves, Elder; Slater, Woods; Longman, Tufan, Cannon; Estupinan

We say: Cardiff City 1-1 Hull City

Hull have not travelled well to date, and as Cardiff have proved they can generally keep things tight, two ambitious clubs may have to settle for a single point.

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