' LATEST NEWS: CARDIFF v BURTON ALBION ' MATCH THREAD

City 2 Albion 0

Bluebirds 4 Burton 1

Burton Albion defender Ben Turner is looking forward to returning to Cardiff City - but doesn't feel he has any point to prove to the club that released him last summer. The 28-year-old centre-back spent five years with the Bluebirds from 2011 to 2016, making 111 league appearances in both the Premier League and Championship.

Turner was part of the Cardiff side that won the club's first ever promotion to the top flight in 2013, and made 31 Premier League appearances over the 2013/14 season for City. But after a string of ankle injuries, now corrected following an operation, Turner was released in the summer of 2016 as his contract at the Cardiff City Stadium expired, with no negotiation over a potential new deal.

And Turner says, despite being let go and eventually picked up by the Brewers over the summer, Turner does not feel he has anything to prove to his previous employers when Albion visit City on Saturday (3pm).

On Burton Albion

Burton is yet another of Warnock’s former squad, and he is full of glowing praise for the club


NEIL WARNOCK:

"I was there six years."

" They’ve gone under the radar not had the praise they deserve. When I was there they were the Man Utd of non-league. The fans are still there, the older ones, my first team used to play Derby in the Bass Vase in pre-season, they played their third team, 2,000 people watching, the highlight of pre-season, so to see them beat Derby a few weeks ago is an incredible story."

" We would train part-time two nights a week. You can’t forget how far they’ve come. They are one step away from the PL, it’s incredible. The chairman is a lesson to every chairman, supporting managers. Nigel’s had tough times at the start, he was there for ten years at the start, but he’s a thoughtful chairman, it’s his club, his daughter and son work there, it’s a super cub. It’s quite special to play against them at this level."

On Burton manager Nigel Clough


NEIL WARNOCK:

"Nigel was a pup when I was at Notts County and Brian was at Forest. We’d have a couple of lunches."

"Nigel’s a super guy. He’s got his own way of managing,. He quietly goes about his job. He’s not bothered about the limelight, he’s a good family man and loves the club. I was delighted when he went back. Everybody thought it would blow up when Hasselbaink went but he was great."

Neil Warnock has confirmed Alan McGregor will make his CardiffCity debut v Burton

3pts a must today and no reason not to get them

Looks like Joe Bennett is out today. He's just Tweeted "good luck to the boys today" on his account.

I'd take a 1-0 clean sheet would be better then scoring four goals

City McGregor, Peltier, Morrison, Bamba, Connolly, Ralls, Gunnarsson, Harris, Hoilett, Pilkington, Zohore
Subs Murphy, Richards, Whittingham, Halford, Lambert, Kennedy, Healey

Strong team, lots of pace and strength in the team...

Kennedy on the bench too... hmmmmmm... could be one of the lads to have impressed Warnock from within

Early nip and tuck

There might not be many Brewers’ fans but they’re trying their utmost to create a noise, as they side squander possession after an overhit pass by Lucas Akins.

Cardiff now on the frontfoot and have a long throw through Gunnarsson... aimed at Morrison and hit by Ralls, whose shot is blocked.

Sharp midfield

Zohore wins a cheap foul after dropping deep into the right hand channel. Ralls has looked lively so far, as he and Pilkington dovetail in attacking midfield. Maybe more of a 4-1-4-1 when the young midfielder pushes up a bit further, Gunnarsson looking sharp in the tackle.

Zohore v Turner

Ralls with a fine through-ball into Zohore who battles away and holds the ball up, but is then penalised by the ref for over-use of the arms in that tussle with Ben Turner. It could be an ongoing tussle that one...

Ralls

Applause from Warnock as Ralls tries to sweep a stretching pass out to Hoilett. It went astray, but the intention was right.

Mistakes

Super play from Pilkington to win the ball back in midfield after the ball broke free following a Hoilett-led counter.

Burton have had a couple of set pieces that came from sloppy Cardiff errors. Both Harris and Hoilett are staying high and wide on their respective flanks.

First chance

Ralls takes a couple of corners, none of which are of sufficient quality to trouble the Brewers’ defence.

Then Gunnarsson launches a long throw to PIlkington, but the rebounding cross is poor as well.

That final ball has been really lacking in these first 20 minutes, as Harris skews a shot right across the face of goal. First proper chance that.

So close!

Oh wow, that was inches away! Zohore, all muscles, somehow engineers a chance for himself and scuffs a shot towards goal. Burton keeper McLaughlin ALMOST let that one wriggle into the net. That’s the closest we’ve come.

A defensive slip gives Burton a huge chance. Lloyd Dyer though unable to hit the target. Let off for the #Bluebirds. (0-0)

Close to 1-0

Should be 1-0 Burton. A very loose pass in midfield allows Lloyd Dyer in on goal. One-on-one. Misses, slices a left foot shot wide. Big let off for Cardiff.

Minute's applause

Better safe than sorry from Morrison under a lot of pressure. There’s a minute’s applause now round the CCS for Cardiff fan Mark Watkins, who died this week.

McGregor solid

Clumsy from Bamba to give away a soft free kick 35 yards from goal. Burton with another chance to fashion a chance.... and McGregor makes a decent stop as a Burton player tries to stab home through bodies. Not spectacular, but a good save nonetheless.

More drive

Aimless from Peltier, looking for Harris on the diagonal. The Cardiff home fans aren’t happy, they want to see more control from their side, with Burton holding their own so far.

Here’s that impetus. A terrific drive from Harris wins a free kick. He’s been a spark so far.

Set pieces poor

Joe Ralls isn’t Peter Whittingham. That’s evident from the low standard of set piece delivery we’ve seen so far. That’s often such a potent weapon for Cardiff, but it’s not being utilised right now. Not yet anyway...

This is awful football.

This is awful football.

Ian, I have to agree terrible

Sol solid

Sordell v Bamba is a bit of a battle... and no surprise that the big Ivorian is winning it so far, snuffing out the former Bolton man at every opportunity.

Thank goodness Bamba didn’t go off to the AFCON with Ivory Coast! Burton are on the front foot as half time approaches...

HALF TIME

This has been devoid of quality from both teams, very reminiscent of Cardiff’s home clash with Brighton a few weeks back.

The difference today is that a 0-0 draw is a poor result for the Bluebirds. The referee shows mercy to the crowd by adding on a single minute at the end fo the first half.

Time to nip inside, grab a bovril and hope this game improves after the interval.

Ralls off for Whitts if NW wants to win this deliveries have to be spot on throughout the game.

I would take holiett off and go 433