Cardiff City host West Bromwich Albion this weekend with the Welsh club in desperate need of a win in their battle against the drop from the Championship.
Only a win in this clash will ensure that Cardiff's survival bid goes on until the final day of the campaign; otherwise, the Bluebirds will be looking for favours from elsewhere to keep their hopes alive for another week.
Match preview
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The hosts sacked Omer Riza on April 19, with the Bluebirds sitting a point adrift of safety in the table at the time of his departure.
That gap extended to three points after Cardiff drew 1-1 with Oxford United on April 21, and other sides around Cardiff, such as Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Derby County and Hull City all won.
The Bluebirds replaced Riza with the inexperienced Aaron Ramsey, who has been tasked with guiding the club to survival in the Championship in a caretaker role.
Although the hosts put in an improved performance against Oxford under Ramsey, Cameron Brannagan's equaliser meant that the Welsh outfit have just one win in their last 10 matches.
Ramsey is already the third man to take charge of the club this season, after Erol Bulut was sacked following the club's worst start to a season in 94 years.
Following their poor recent run under Bulut's successor, the Bluebirds have taken one last throw of the dice, hoping that club legend Ramsey can save their season.
The former Arsenal man has just two more games to try and rescue the club from relegation, with a reunion with former Gunner Jack Wilshere next weekend to look forward to at Carrow Road.
Cardiff have struggled at home all season, and they have the third-worst home record in the league, having secured just seven wins from their 22 matches on home soil to date.
Having already gained one point at home in Ramsey's first match in charge, they will be eager to record a rare home victory this weekend.
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They face off against a West Brom side that have also made a change in management recently, after their playoff hopes all but faded with a 3-1 defeat to Derby last time out.
The Baggies parted ways with Tony Mowbray, as his second spell at The Hawthorns saw him win just five of his 18 matches in charge.
Similarly to Cardiff, this is not the first time that the Baggies have changed manager this season, as Carlos Corberan left the club for Valencia on Christmas Eve.
Former Albion midfielder James Morrison will be in charge this weekend in a caretaker role, and he will be assisted by both Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill.
The visitors have 60 points on the board, and they are already six points off sixth-placed Coventry City in the standings.
For the Baggies to make the playoffs, two wins are an absolute necessity, but Albion's recent form suggests that winning two in a row is unlikely.
West Brom have lost five of their last six matches, a run that has virtually killed all hope of promotion to the Premier League next season, and the poor end to the season certainly contributed to Mowbray's departure.
Add to that, the fact that they have won just four matches away from home all season, and the unlikely playoff aspirations look even less realistic.
The two sides played out a goalless draw at The Hawthorns back in October, but a repeat of that result this weekend would not suit either team this time around.
Team News
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While Ramsey is out for the rest of the campaign due to a hamstring injury, he will be trying his hardest to guide Cardiff to safety from the touchline.
Other injury concerns for the hosts are Isaak Davies, Jak Alnwick, and also Joe Ralls, with the latter part of Ramsey's backroom staff for the remainder of the campaign.
Meanwhile, the Baggies will be boosted by the return of both Jayson Molumby and Callum Styles from recent suspensions.
The visitors have also recently had Jed Wallace and Ousmane Diakite return from lengthy injuries, and they could be in line to feature once again for this match.
However, Josh Maja is not expected to feature for the Baggies again this season due to a leg injury that he suffered back in January.
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; O'Dowda, Chambers, Fish, Ng; Mannsverk, Rinomhota, Willock, Robertson, Ashford; Salech
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Heggem, Bartley, Holgate, Furlong; Molumby, Diakite, Styles, Price, Fellows; Lankshear
We say: Cardiff City 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
This is a tough match to call given the recent managerial changes at both clubs, and although the Bluebirds really do need three points this weekend, we think that they will have to settle for just one.
There was little to separate the two sides in the first meeting of the season back in October, and we can see this match ending in a draw once again.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Tom Humphrey
