Thu Nov 26, 2015 7:15 pm
Preview: Cardiff City vs. Burnley
By Darren Plant,
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Cardiff City play host to Burnley on Saturday afternoon looking to find the victory that would move the club to within touching distance of a place in the top six in the Championship table.
Burnley make the trip to South Wales without a defeat in eight games, and three points could potentially move them closer to the top of the standings, with just two points between the Clarets and leaders Hull City.
Cardiff City Suffering just two defeats during a nine-game spell would usually be considered respectable in such an unforgiving league as the Championship, but not from the perspective of Cardiff City supporters. Russell Slade has kept the Bluebirds in the top 10 of the table for much of the season, but in recent weeks, they have slipped three points behind the playoff places and eight behind Saturday's opponents Burnley, who sit in fifth.
Victory this weekend may change the mood at a club who have won just once in five outings, but improvements will be required after they succumbed tamely at Derby County last Saturday, making it half-a-dozen league fixtures without a win on the road. That said, Slade deserves plenty of credit for putting together an excellent record at the Cardiff City Stadium at a time when attendances have been on the decline. Seventeen points have been recorded from just eight games, while only four goals have been conceded, two of which came in the same game against Hull City.
Slade does not appear to be under any immediate pressure but with a number of Championship clubs showing little patience recently when it comes to changing managers, it remains to be seen what Cardiff's stance will be should they under-perform in their next three games. However, maximum points on Saturday will haul Burnley, and potentially other promotion rivals, back towards them, and that could prove key for Slade over the coming weeks.