MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 02:44:00| >> :120:23729:23729:
[monks data]
Cardiff City logo
Championship
Nov 1, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Leeds logo

3-1

Ecuele Manga (61'), Macheda (67'), Jones (81')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Mowatt (77')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Leeds United

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Cardiff and troubled Leeds as Neil Redfearn reassumes control of the visitors.

The Leeds United soap opera continues to rumble on as another manager has fallen victim to the trigger-happy chairman Massimo Cellino.

The Italian has now sacked three managers since taking charge of the club in April, including two this season, neither of whom have lasted more than six games at the helm.

The situation became even more farcical earlier this week when the latest man to be pushed, Darko Milanic, claimed that he was on "paid leave" and had not officially been relieved of his duties by the club.

Even so, it is expected that Neil Redfearn will be handed the reins on a permanent basis sooner rather than later having impressed during his time as caretaker earlier this season.

While Cellino was searching for the right man to replace Dave Hockaday, Redfearn guided the club to 10 points from a possible 12 in the league, while Milanic's subsequent 32-day reign yielded just three points from six outings.

The combined 102-day reigns of Hockaday and Milanic are as much a signal of Cellino's shortcomings as they are of the individual managers', but fans must now be feeling an alien sense of optimism with a familiar face due to take charge.

Given Cellino's record, though, the pressure is on Redfearn to turn things around fast, with Leeds now sitting in 18th place in the Championship table, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Victory this weekend would draw them level on points with Cardiff and could lift them into the top half, but they have won just once on the road all season.

Redfearn is unlikely to make too many changes to the side that lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, with that XI being not too dissimilar to the side he fielded in his final match in caretaker charge.

Cardiff have had their own managerial issues this season, although Russell Slade has made a steady start to his time in charge of the club.

The new boss won his first two matches in charge to lift the underperforming Bluebirds into the top half of the table, although his first defeat came on Saturday as Millwall edged to a 1-0 victory at The Den.

Even so, they remain just four points adrift of the playoff places now, and a good string of results should be enough to see them breach the top six given that many of the teams above them are regularly dropping points.

They do boast an impressive run of results at home having won each of their last three at the Cardiff City Stadium, while only Wolves have amassed more points at home in the Championship this season.

Aron Gunnarsson was forced off early in the defeat to Millwall and is a doubt this weekend, while Ravel Morrison and Nicky Maynard are both pushing for starts.

Recent form

Cardiff: LDDLDW

Leeds: LDLDDL

Possible starting lineups

Cardiff: Marshall; Brayford, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Fabio; Pilkington, Ralls, Whittingham, Noone; Macheda, Le Fondre

Leeds: Silvestri; Berardi, Bellusci, Pearce, Warnock; Bianchi, Sloth, Murphy, Adryan; Antenucci, Doukara

Sports Mole says: 2-1


ID:185500: cacheID:185500:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5787: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:
Leeds caretaker manager Neil Redfearn shouts instructions during the npower Championship match between Charlton Athletic and Leeds United at the Valley on April 06, 2013
Read Next:
Warnock: 'Redfearn will pick up where he left off'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5Watford168262524126
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
18Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


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!