CARDIFF CITY v BIRMINGHAM PREVIEW
Thu Mar 19, 2015 2:22 pm
Cardiff will be confident that they can get a result at home to Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. After their heroic defensive performances against both Brentford and Bournemouth, Russell Slade’s side will be full of confidence going into this game.
Birmingham come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at St Andrews, which they will be frustrated with after playing so well under Gary Rowett. Their form has somewhat weakened in the last couple of weeks however, with 2 wins in their last 6 games.
Anthony Pilkington, Joe Mason and Kagisho Dickagoi all trained this week, but only Mason is close enough to match fitness and could make the bench. Lee Peltier and David Marshall will both be assessed in training this week and there is a possibility they could both return, with Simon Moore and Matthew Connolly making way. Aron Gunnarsson also limped off in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth and will be assessed in training tomorrow. Long absentee Ben Turner is still out.
Birmingham have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game, and Rowett could keep the same starting XI that drew with Huddersfield last weekend. Welsh international David Cotterill will be back in his home country for this one, fresh after being named in Chris Coleman’s squad to play Israel.
Slade is most likely to make a couple of forced changes, as Kiko Macheda returns from his suspension, but Kadeem Harris still has to serve a two game ban. Alex Revell will hope he can retain his starting place after two impressive performances against Brentford and Bournemouth.
Birmingham come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at St Andrews, which they will be frustrated with after playing so well under Gary Rowett. Their form has somewhat weakened in the last couple of weeks however, with 2 wins in their last 6 games.
Anthony Pilkington, Joe Mason and Kagisho Dickagoi all trained this week, but only Mason is close enough to match fitness and could make the bench. Lee Peltier and David Marshall will both be assessed in training this week and there is a possibility they could both return, with Simon Moore and Matthew Connolly making way. Aron Gunnarsson also limped off in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth and will be assessed in training tomorrow. Long absentee Ben Turner is still out.
Birmingham have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game, and Rowett could keep the same starting XI that drew with Huddersfield last weekend. Welsh international David Cotterill will be back in his home country for this one, fresh after being named in Chris Coleman’s squad to play Israel.
Slade is most likely to make a couple of forced changes, as Kiko Macheda returns from his suspension, but Kadeem Harris still has to serve a two game ban. Alex Revell will hope he can retain his starting place after two impressive performances against Brentford and Bournemouth.