' TONIGHTS TEAM: BRIGHTON v CARDIFF CITY ' MATCH THREAD

We have to lose sometime.

Cardiff are the only side in the Championship to have won their last 3 league games.

Team news

Cardiff City: McGregor, Peltier, Morrison (C), Bamba, Richards, Halford, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Harris, Hoilett, Zohore.

Cardiff team news

Subs: Murphy, Whittingham, Noone, Connolly, Lambert, Kennedy, Healey.

Changes

So just two changes for the Bluebirds with Halford and Richards replacing Pilkington and Connolly.

Any idea on formation? Is it a back 5? Or 4 with Halford in front or even Bamba?

Also whos going to be marking Knockaert? If its peltier im getting money on him getting booked.

Greg Halford and Jazz Richards make their first starts for Neil Warnock

Jazz Richards’ first league start under Neil Warnock - he hasn’t started a Championship fixture since September.


Greg Halford also makes his first league start for Cardiff since his move from Rotherham earlier this month.


There’s a lot of flexibility in that line-up but you would imagine Halford playing at full-back with Peltier moving to the centre if Warnock wants to keep with five at the back away at the promotion hopefuls.

The forward areas are as expected, with Rickie Lambert - amid reported interest from Championship rivals Wolves and QPR - on the bench alongside last weekend’s unlikely hero Rhys Healey.

Foul

Zohore concedes an early free kick just inside his own half.

Chance

An early chance for the hosts as Jamie Murphy stretches to get his foot on the end of a cross but he can’t reach it.

Let off for Cardiff.

Possession

Brighton seeing plenty of the ball in the opening stages at the Amex Stadium.

Not the greatest of starts for Cardiff. The red shirts have seen little of the ball and plenty of the hosts knocking it around them.

Jazz Richards is not having an easy start with plenty coming down his side.

Its tough out there for City

Wide

Hemed shoots wide from around 25 yards out. It’s been a very lively start from the hosts.

Close! Ralls hits the side netting from Hoilett's cross. (0-0)

The Bluebirds have settled and have their first chance as Hoilett beats his marker before squaring to Ralls who fires at the side netting.

Better from the visitors.

Jazz looks like he’s been told to do a proper man-marking job on Knockaert, following him all over the pitch. It’s an interesting ploy from Warnock as he obviously thinks he’s their dangerman but it’s seeing others get joy in the space Richards is leaving.

The Bluebirds have settled and have their first chance as Hoilett beats his marker before squaring to Ralls who fires at the side netting.

Better from the visitors.

Energy

Good play from Harris who earns the Bluebirds a free kick just inside Brighton’s half.

Peltier delivers the ball into the area and the visitors have a corner.

Hoilett whips in the corner and Zohore flicks the ball on, but Brighton clear their lines.

City looking like they can now make a game of it

Sol Bamba bit daft giving a corner away there, didn’t take first chance to clear. Joe Ralls down receiving treatment .

Hoilett yellow carded for a foul on Kayal.

Seems like the surface is pretty wet. A long ball through sees Morrison slip and then Murphy just when you thought Brighton were through. Zohore went skidding earlier in the match too.

Great chance for Cardiff on the break but Zohore shoots directly at Stockdale.

Come on Zohore

Mistake from Richards who loses the ball in the middle of the pitch and Brighton attack but Halford does well to earn the visitors a throw in.

Getting colder down there and danger of the pitch freezing over!

Hoilett having to drop back or Bamba push across to plug the space where the left-back would normally be.

Hoilett brings down Goldson on the edge of the box. He’s already on a yellow card.